Pence leaves open the possibility of nuclear weapons in space

Photo: Bloomberg Photo By Andrew Harrer

 

WASHINGTON – Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday declined to rule out the idea of deploying nuclear weapons in space, saying the current ban on their use is “in the interest of every nation” but the issue should be decided on “the principle that peace comes through strength.”

“What we need to do is make sure that we provide for the common defense of the people of the United States of America and that’s the president’s determination here,” Pence said in an interview with The Washington Post, when asked if nuclear weapons should be banned from orbit.

Pence added, “What we want to do is continue to advance the principle that peace comes through strength.”

New Pentagon report names Russia, China as threats to US space capabilities

 

A new space report by the Pentagon has named Russia and China as key threats to US space capabilities, according to a document released on Thursday.

“The United States faces rapidly growing threats to our space capabilities. China and Russia, our strategic competitors, are explicitly pursuing space warfighting capabilities to neutralize US space capabilities during a time of conflict,” the report said. “Other potential adversaries are also pursuing counter-space capabilities such as jamming, dazzling, and cyber-attacks.”