YOU DECIDE: Space Force

In June, the president announced that he wanted to establish a “Space Force,” or a military presence in outer space. Last week, Vice President Mike Pence laid out some details of what the administration would like the Space Force–otherwise known as United States Space Command–to look like. According to this plan, Space Force would start out as a wing of the U.S. Air Force and be operational by 2020. To accomplish this, Pence has asked Congress to allocate $8 billion to the project over the next five years.

The president, vice president, and others in the administration argue that a Space Force is necessary as outer space becomes the next military battleground. Others disagree and see this as an unnecessary–or even dangerous–expense. Based on what you’ve heard and seen in the news, You Decide: Should the United States establish a Space Force?

YES

•  Pentagon officials have warned that Russia and China are developing technology which will enable them to shoot down United States satellites within the next two to three years.
• Systems on which Americans depend–such as GPS and military and civilian communications–could be threatened if foreign powers attack American satellites.
• The military, which relies heavily on drones and satellites, is completely dependent on outer space, which puts us in a vulnerable position.
• A new military branch is needed for our protection because the Air Force doesn’t currently pay enough attention to outer space.

 NO

• Establishing a sixth branch of the military would put a huge bureaucratic, organizational, and administrative burden on our present military.
• Outer space should not be turned into another militarized battlefield; rather, it should continue to be seen as someplace neutral to Earth’s struggles.
• Instead of spending so much money on outer space, the administration should invest in addressing more pressing, on-the-ground threats such as cyber warfare.
• Space Force is unnecessary: the Air Force’s space agency already defends U.S. satellites in space.
• Space Force may be in violation of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which prohibits using the moon and other celestial bodies to establish military bases or conduct military maneuvers.