US to shoot down spy satellite - message to Red China?

Update: Bill Gertz
Satellite shoot-down shows missile muscle


Saber Rattling in Space

This unexpected news just fell into my inbox:

NEWS ALERT
from The Wall Street Journal

Feb. 14, 2008

The Pentagon is planning to shoot down a broken spy satellite that was expected to hit the Earth in early March, according to the Associated Press. U.S. officials said that the option preferred by the Bush administration will be to fire a missile from a U.S. Navy cruiser, and shoot down the satellite before it enters Earth's atmosphere.

Note that the US and other nations were critical of the People's Republic of China when they destroyed one of their satellites with a missile. Some cats claimed China's actions then constituted saber rattling, sending a message to the US and Russia. Others were concerned about the large amount of space junk that remains in orbit from the explosion.

I don't know how the US will avoid the same criticisms. Seems like Cold War II is getting started.
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