By Lisa Savage
Weaponizing space is planned to proceed under the Golden Dome umbrella
I was in a bad mood yesterday anyway so I thought I might as well watch the recording of a panel discussion at the Reagan National “Defense” Forum 2025 on war in space. (Apparently the venue has not gotten the memo that “war” is replacing “defense” in U.S. public posturing.) After viewing this discussion, I’m guessing you’ll agree that imagining adversaries and threats as a pretext to massive investments in weapons systems is not really defense. This kind of b.s. sets my teeth on edge and I usually avoid it. Maybe I watched it so you won’t have to? But if you, too, are a glutton for punishment here it is:
The forum was in California, unofficial HQ of the military-industrial-tech sector. What a great chance for luminaries of the MICIMATT to rub elbows!
Defending the Homeland: Establishing Superiority in Space and Missile Defense had as panelists General Michael Guetlein as Director of Golden Dome, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, Kathy Warden as Chair/CEO/President of Pentagon contractor Northrop Grumman, and Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska.
It was moderated by Kristin Fisher of Endless Void Media with the kind of gushy fawning typical of media workers who prefer access over truth.
National Security mom Captain Olivia Walker in a typical scene from A House of Dynamite
Would it surprise you to know that the moderator and even some of the panelists structured their discussion around the recent thriller A House of Dynamite? (I reviewed the film here if you haven’t seen it.) Yes, hard as it may be to believe, a discussion involving two of the people primarily responsible for building the biggest industrial weapon system ever conceived centered it on the plot of a made-up story.
Specifically, as General Guetlein pointed out, the plot depended on there being no space component to the Pentagon’s capabilities. The government’s offensive defensive quandry: how to take out a missile radar shows as incoming but with an uncertain origin. This wouldn’t happen now that space is crammed with satellites performing surveillance and tracking functions for the military 24/7. So, fiction.
There was a lot of fiction being shared by panelists. Here is the sound of a declining empire whistling in the dark to shore up our morale.
Image source: “Why China Laughs at the Idea of Americans Taking Their Manufacturing Jobs,” Time Magazine, April 2025
Ready to build Golden Dome yesterday, CEO Warden claimed the U.S has three competitive advantages over adversaries (more like competitors, really): our people, our allies, and our industrial base. Earth to Warden: our people are undereducated and severely depressed/anxious from the stresses of living under late-stage capitalism. Our allies are either royally pissed off at our disrespect (Canada, Mexico, much of Europe) or being extorted so violently that their own populations are rising up against the deals made by their self-serving politicians (South Korea, Japan, Australia). And as for our industrial base, don’t make me laugh. Furious scrambling to invest now still cannot make up for decades of deindustrialization prioritizing profits over research and development, or over robust training and compensation for workers.
Image source: "the funnies,” Organizing Notes blog, December 2025
But have no fear! The real problem with the Pentagon getting what it pays for is the overly bureaucratic procurement process. Secretary of War Hegseth had addressed the forum earlier in the day about this very problem and assured the many contractors present that the U.S. was serious about “taking those handcuffs off.” Which begs the question, if the Pentagon has not passed an audit in years under the current procurement process how is cutting red tape likely to result in leaner, more effective procurement?
Fisher urged the panel to let taxpayers learn a bit more about the highly secretive and astronomically expensive Golden Dome. Senator Fischer reassured taxpayers that, “Kathy was just in Washington a few weeks ago to update us on where we are.” So even if you don’t know where your taxes are going you can rest easy, because a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee does. Isn’t it fun that they’re so chummy they’re on a first name basis? And per the Secretary of the Air Force, “We cant actually tell you anything because adversaries are listening.” How convenient.
But not to worry about the voice of the people, because panelists kept citing a survey that showed 75% of respondents were in favor of building Golden Dome. There’s no price tag and not much known about what will comprise its many layers. Just take it on faith, ok.
Or another way to think about it was supplied by the general: “A House of Dynamite was a good place to start the dialogue that we need to have as a nation.” He seems to suggest that the film fit right in with the timeline of building support for Golden Dome. What a coincidence!
The general threw around a lot of military jargon like “magazine depth” and “exquisite kit” to explain that the problem is not how to build highly technical weapons like space based interceptors, but how to “aggressively field many” in a way that is affordable.
Moderator Fisher finally asked the existential question late in the panel: “Will putting weapons in space accelerate an arms race in space?” But then almost immediately ruined the focus by worrying if future administrations could reverse said arms race. Of course they could, if they have the will. Kathy and Senator Fischer will no doubt work closely on that.
The general conclude by opining “space is not an sanctuary any more; ‘the adversary’ has been holding space at risk.” He then gave some examples of Chinese and Russian success at shooting down their own satellites, something the U.S. also done. “Space is already contested,” he assured us. “We’re not starting that discussion.”
Secretary Meink jumped in to support the general: “All you have to do is go to the actual real news to see the level of threats we’re dealing with!” He then cited Russian attacks on Ukraine, apparently unaware of the old schoolyard maxim, Don’t start something you can’t finish. And in a nod to the Zionists who were definitely listening, he mentioned “all sorts of medium range missile attacks on Israel.”
Fisher asked them to compare and contrast Golden Dome vs Iron Dome. This led the general to say, “I worked with Israel on Iron Dome — but they are defending an area the size of New Jersey.” He then shared the only fact that surprised me: the “homeland” so often referenced that the U.S. will be defending includes not only Hawaii and Alaska — but Guam! Holy shit. Now we know for 100% certain that no matter how much money Kathy makes from the deal it will never work as advertised.
Would it surprise you to know that no one on the panel mentioned that Iron Dome failed to intercept missiles this summer coming from Yemen and Iran?
The final question of why now (if “now” means by the summer of 2028, that is) was addressed by Northup Gruman’s CEO. Are you ready? “So 9/11 never happens again.” If you’d like to leave a comment below explaining why this is absolute bunk, please feel free.
To hear an informed analysis by industry watchers who do not profit from Pentagon procurement, check out this webinar “Space Militarization” from three members of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space. One presenter from the U.S., one from Canada, and one from Sweden share star wars facts on the ground as they are developing in their respective countries. Sponsored by Global Women for Peace - United Against NATO.
No comments:
Post a Comment