The satellite shot, it seems to me, is a big fucking stunt.

[Stinky The Clown]

GolyGoshGeeWhizLookieHere kinda Gomer crap.

Am I wrong? Is it dangerous? is it a message to Russia?

Gawd, I HATE that I **have to** distrust ANYTHING that comes out of this administration.

[DS1]

1. what satellite shot ?

[pepperbear]

6. here....

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-02-14-voa72.cfm

[DS1]

10. Ooooh, I thought the OP meant some photograph taken by a Sat

thanks

[bluethruandthru]

2. I'm thinking they'll "accidentally" miss

and hit Iran! :nuke:

[Olney Blue]

3. Everything in this administration is theater.

[mcscajun]

4. Nah, I think they just don't want to risk the *slightest* chance

that anybody can hold of what's IN the satellite and find out what they're up to, or get whatever technology they're deeming off-limits to the world *this year*.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Your guess is actually a reasonable and rational reason.

Which means there's NO WAY its the reason! :)

[mcscajun]

21. Ha!

:rofl:

As Sheriff Bart said: "All right, you caught me. Speaking the plain truth is getting pretty damn dull around here." :hi:

[JuniperLea]

11. You could be right there...

Just more erasing of tapes, dumping of email, etc.

[Elidor]

18. This is correct

The top secret technology on board is their main concern. By the way, if this missile misses, they will look exceptionally stupid. And even though this is not a test of the Star Wars system, we should all be asking: if the Star Wars system can't handle something this easy, what have we spent all those billions of dollars for?

[mcscajun]

22. I certainly Hope they don't miss.

They haven't shot one down in 23 years. They might be out of practice. All the guys who knew what was what have probably retired.

[malaise]

25. They won't just look stupid

The Chinese will be rolling on the floor laughing. It's Bushco - expect another clusterfuck.

[livetohike]

5. I think they want to test out the new toys

They better hope it works, or it's back to the drawing board.

[MiniMe]

7. I think they are worried about where it is going to fall and who might find

out the "spy secrets" on board the satellite.

[JuniperLea]

8. I thought Raygun... and his super duper missile protection system

I think this is bravado... like strapping Chimpie's nuts into a flight suit and strutting him out on deck... I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit... :puke: I think this is to send some message to all the nuke-holders Chimpie is pissing off.

[happyslug]

12. This was addressed in another thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2865602

[spanone]

13. don't these things burn up in the re-entry?

[NeedleCast]

24. Yup, They Do

More exactly, when they're loaded with fuel they dont so much burn up as explode when said fuel ignites.

[tularetom]

14. Even if it fails it will be portrayed as a success

we will never learn the truth about this. They probably already have some sort of star wars footage where some object gets shot out of the sky. If the actual attempt fails they will run the canned footage ad nauseum and the TV news cheerleaders will tell us again and again what a glorious achievement it was.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. How ....... Pravda!

[alfredo]

19. Amateur astronomers world wide will be watching. I don't think

bush can get away with lying about a miss. This thing is moving much slower than an ICBM, and at a lower altitude. A miss will be a big embarrassment.

[TomInTib]

16. Message to China and Russia

Remember, the Chinese did it first.

Caught us flat-fucking-footed, too.

[thunder rising]

17. It's a message..."See we can do it too" China was #1.

[high density]

20. We have already spent (wasted) all this money on missile defense crap

We might as well get one shot off from it.

[NeedleCast]

23. Most Likely to Protect the Technology

As I understand, this is a very new satellite that failed almost as soon as it made orbit. I think it's a little silly because the math is pretty easy: Satellite loaded with jet propulsion fuel + atmospheric re-entry = BOOM! Satellites are not hardened against re-entry because, well, they ain't supposed to re-enter.


And then the satellite is probably scattered in microscopic bits over several thousand square miles.

I think it's partly stunt, partly hawkish intelligence officers collectivly crapping themselves and over-reacting to a fake problem.

[HooptieWagon]

26. A possibility I haven't seen mentioned...

Suppose the satellite has a self-destruct charge aboard - Navy fires a missle, satellite self-destruct is activated, and a "hit" is claimed... fits standard chimpCo M.O.

[CK_John]

27. I'm sure it has a self destruct but it has a complete power failure and can not receive the command