Or, When Is A Military Operation, NOT A Military
Operation?
The Navy's successful outer-atmosphere shootdown of an ailing US
spy satellite last week proves the nation's missile defense systems
work, US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday.
"I think, actually, the question of whether this capability
works has been settled. The question is: Against what kind of a
threat (do we employ the technology)? How large a threat? How
sophisticated a threat?" Gates said during a meeting with press
after a tour of the Navy's USS Russell, one of three ships involved
in the shootdown, reports American Forces Press Service.
As ANN reported, the Bush
administration authorized the operation to destroy the satellite
ahead of its expected fall from orbit in early March. Launched in
December 2006, computers onboard the satellite failed soon after
reaching orbit, leaving it unable to respond to commands from the
ground.
Officials told the public they were concerned parts of the
bus-sized satellite would possibly fall on inhabited areas if
allowed to reenter on its own... including a nearly-full tank of
hydrazine, a highly toxic propellant used in the satellite's
maneuvering thrusters. Military leaders also expressed misgivings
about the possibility the technology onboard the reconnaissance
satellite -- in particular, a top-secret imaging camera -- could
have fallen into hostile hands.
US authorities took steps to placate leaders in China and Russia
ahead of, and immediately after, the launch... stating the
shootdown was primarily a humanitarian gesture, and not an overt
military action. That sentiment was reiterated by Gates this
week... but he also noted the military importance of the operation,
notably in his referral to the operation as a missile defense
test.
"I think that people
remember a time some years ago when missile defense was extremely
controversial and a lot of people questioned whether it would work
or not, and there was always a struggle in the Congress to get
money for missile defense," Gates said in an interview with media
traveling with him. "One of the significant changes that has taken
place in Washington over the past few years has been a general
recognition that the development of the system has proceeded, that
it does have capability, and that it is increasingly sophisticated
in terms of the kind of challenges that it may be able to beat --
although it still (is) very much designed for a very limited kind
of threat."
While Congress and other leaders likely were aware of the
missile defense system's capabilities, the general public still was
not, Gates said. He said that a side benefit of the satellite
shootdown was that the American public got to see a demonstration
of the missile defense capabilities.
"Completely a side benefit of yesterday's action was to
underscore the money that the Congress has been voting for this has
resulted in a very real capability," Gates said. "I think the issue
of whether it will work is behind us, and we just need to keep
improving this capability."
Of course, Gates probably didn't mind a bit that China and
Russia were watching, too... and took note of US progress on its
much-touted "missile shield."