By being the only country to vote "no" at the UN to a resolution to ban weapons in space, the US formally exposes its plans to militarise space. It does not want any legal encumbrances such as the following no weapons in space resolutions.

Dear Friends,
There was an error in the report I sent out from the UN about the vote on the two space resolutions.  Cote D'Ivoire and Israel abstained on the Paros resolution to Prevent an Arms Race in Outer Space, while the US was the only country to vote 'No' on A/C.1/61/L.10/Rev 1. .  166 countries voted to prevent an arms race in outer space.  In the second resolution, A/C.1/61/L36, on Transparency and Confidence building Measures in Outer Space, there was only 1 vote against it from the US and one abstention from Israel .  167 nations vote for it.  I've corrected the report below.  Alice    Full Report

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U.S. Domination of Space

Comment by Larry Ross, November 23, 2006

The military use of space is part of the  U.S. plan to be able to wage war in space or anywhere in the world. This is illustrated by its votes in the UN below and the US abrogation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the new US National Space Policy statement.

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At the UN today

October 27, 2006

At the UN today, the First Committee of the General Assembly, which addresses disarmament issues, voted overwhelmingly for a Resolution to Prevent an Arms Race in Outer Space. There were 166 nations in favor of this sensible proposal with only one negative vote and two abstentions. The United States opposed the resolution, while Israel and Cote D'Ivoire abstained. A fallback resolution, to take "Transparency and Confidence Building Measures in Outer Space Activities", garnered a similar vote, with only the US voting against it and Israel abstaining. (The text of the resolutions are posted at http://www.reaching criticalwill. org/political/ 1com/1com06/ res/resindex. html)

In a statement from the floor, the US delegation "explained" its votes by insisting that "there is no arms race in space, and no prospect of an arms race in space. Thus there is no arms control problem for the international community to address." In light of the US abrogation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and this month's new National Space Policy statement issued by the Bush administration stating that “Freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power,” and that the United States will “develop and deploy space capabilities that sustain U.S. advantage”, coupled with an $11 billion dollar budget this year to develop space hardware, including laser attack weapons, it defies reason to think that the US is sincere in promoting the "peaceful" use of space.

The US , claimed in its statement that the existing "multilateral outer space arms control regime already deals adequately with the non-weaponization of space." But existing agreements only ban weapons of mass destruction in space; not conventional weapons like laser beams designed to destroy space assets.

Sadly, the US statement today was consistent with its flagrant assertion in its new space policy doctrine that it “will oppose the development of new legal regimes or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space.”

The full text of today's statement is reproduced below.

EXPLANATION OF VOTE
L.10, Rev.1 "Prevention of an arms race in outer space
L.36 "Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities"

Thank you Madam
Chair.

Our Delegation takes the floor to explain its votes on draft resolutions L.10, Rev 1, "Prevention of an arms race in outer space," and L.36, "Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities."

Madam Chair, there is no arms race in space, and no prospect of an arms race in space. Thus there is no arms control problem for the international commuity to address. There already exists an extensive and comprehensive system for limiting certain uses of outer space. The existing multilateral outer space arms control regime already deals adequately with the non-weaponization of space.

As stated in our National Space Policy, the United States is commited to the peaceful exploration and use of space by all nations for peaceful purposes. Peaceful purposes can include appropriate defense activities in pursuit of national security and other goals. We take seriously our commitment to carry on all US activities in the exploration and use of outer space in accordance with international law, including the Outer Space Treaty and the Charter of the United Nations, in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting international cooperation and understanding.

The United States already has a number of efforts under way to help safeguard and improve peaceful uses of outer space for all, including providing information on objects in space though a public domain website. We have led the way in negotiating guidelines for mitigating the dangers to space operations presented by orbital debris. We also have extended assistance to other spacefaring nations by offering help in collision-avoidance .

In short, Madam Chair, we see no reason for international institutions to address a non-existent arms race in outer space.

Thank you, Madam Chair

What hypocrisy and deception!

Alice Slater
446 E. 86 St.
New York , NY 10028
212-744-2005
646-238-9000(cell)
aslater@rcn.com