Biden administration may halt plans to move Space Command to Alabama over state's abortion law

[Nevilledog]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/biden-admin-may-halt-move-space-command-alabama-abortion-law-rcna84336

Some defense and congressional officials believe the White House is laying the groundwork to halt plans to move U.S. Space Command’s headquarters to Alabama in part because of concerns about the state’s restrictive abortion law, according to two U.S. officials and one U.S. defense official familiar with the discussions.

“The belief is they are delaying any move because of the abortion issue,” one U.S. official said, referring to the White House.

Another U.S. official said, “This is all about abortion politics.”

The White House directed the Air Force last December to conduct a review of the process that led to the Trump administration’s decision to move Space Command’s headquarters from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama. The review was ordered up in the months after Alabama’s law banning nearly all abortions, including in cases of rape and incest, went into effect last summer. The law is considered among the most restrictive in the U.S.

It followed two previous, extensive reviews that took place after President Joe Biden took office that found there was no improper political influence on the process that awarded the headquarters to Alabama. Just days before leaving office, Donald Trump had announced Alabama would be home to Spacecom's headquarters. He later said he was “single-handedly” responsible for the state’s selection over others that were under consideration, but the review did not support that claim.

*snip*

[Historic NY]

1. Isn't big dick Tubberville in Alabama/

[Cha]

3. Yeesss.

[Historic NY]

16. Space force

]

[Cha]

2. Yeah, why give Draconian States

business?

[rzemanfl]

4. Fuck the truth. Go with Drumpf's single handed claim. n/t

[Lovie777]

5. Do it...............

[drray23]

6. the question I have is about whether there is a clear mission

for the US space force which was created by Trump. Was it one of his harebrained scheme or does it actually serve a purpose?

[Shipwack]

10. As much as I despise Trump, I'm torn on this...

I'm ex-Navy, and actually served a tour at the Navy Satellite Operations Command In California. God, what a den of wickedness and stupidity, but that's a post for another time...

Anyway, every service has there own satellite operations center, their own satellites, etc. Sometimes they share their toys, sometimes not. I can see the argument made getting this all under one roof. Since everyone is so territorial, they would never agree to on who would get all that sweet power and sweet, sweet, cash. Also, there are arguments that the Air force (for instance) would not understand all the unique needs of the Army. The Navy could claim the same thing; a submarine has different operational needs than some guy in a foxhole. So... It's not a completely stupid idea.

I'm sure The Former Guy wasn't thinking that, though. He wanted fighting men (it would be men, of course) in armored space suits with lasers going "Pew...Pew", like in "Moonraker". Now that part is stupid at this point in time (as well as being against several treaties, I think).

On the other hand, it is the former guy we are talking about here, so I tend toward it being a stupid idea. Why Biden hasn't shot the entire thing down I have no idea... Perhaps it does have some small merit, as well as momentum at this point, and he has other things more important to fight over.

[CaptainTruth]

15. It wasn't Trump's idea, it was a PNAC Key Position in 2000.

In 2000 the PNAC (Project for the New American Century) wrote that one of their "Key Positions" was:

"Control the new 'international commons' of space and 'cyberspace,' and pave the way for the creation of a new military service--U.S. Space Forces--with the mission of space control."

John Bolton was a member of the PNAC.

Trump hired Bolton to work in his administration & magically 2 months later Trump announced Space Force.

Those dots are easy to connect.

More on the PNAC, who wanted to invade Iraq & "transform the Middle East" back in 1997-1998:

https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Project_for_the_New_American_Century]

[jmowreader]

18. There is a HUGE reason, and it's all about the Benjamins

It's the same reason we turned the US Army Air Forces into the US Air Force in 1947: the Air Force Space Command didn't want its budget held hostage to the whims of Air Combat Command.

And...that's justifiable: when you bring the then-ten Major Commands of the US Air Force to the table and ask what they do to contribute to the overall mission of the Air Force, Air Combat Command can talk about fighters, Air Education and Training Command talks about how they turn civilians into Airmen, Global Strike Command talks about bombers and ICBMs, Air Mobility Command is all this transport aircraft..."and what about you, Space Command?" "We've got this REALLY neat antenna to show you."

What I don't get is why they didn't integrate the entire military's space operations into the Space Force.

[SWBTATTReg]

7. Well, I can somewhat understand Alabama, because of Huntsville, a lot of space work was done

there, but....if tRUMP supported it, I'd look into why he did, there had to be a nefarious reason why.

[yaesu]

8. Good, don't reward fascist run states. nt

[onecaliberal]

9. I'm glad they're doing this.

And let’s get something straight.
There is NO abortion politics. This is about women’s healthcare. Correct these misogynist assholes.

[dflprincess]

11. There should be no "may not" about it, just not.

Move it to one of the states that have moved to protect the rights of all citizens and is already paying more in taxes than taker states like Alabama.

[Demanchor]

12. Florida and Texas have NASA why not give another

Anti-American state something somewhat important.

Let’s make sure all the climate change industries are in solid blue states please.

[Zorro]

13. Alabama already has NASA

Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

IMO it's better to have NASA and Space Command not so closely located.

[lastlib]

14. The 1967 Treaty on Outer Space prohibits most weapons in space.

I am convinced that Insurrectionist RapistGuy's concept for Space Command violated that treaty. That, of course, wouldn't stop him from breaking it.

[Ilsa]

17. "IRG" instead of last year's TFG.

"Insurrectionist Rapist Guy" works fine.

[lastlib]

19. I should copyright it....