Re: Arming Outer Space

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Henry Spencer) writes:

>In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
>Inquiring minds <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>> Incorrect.  The Outer Space Treaty prohibits most military activities on
>>> the surfaces of "celestial bodies", and forbids stationing of weapons of
>>> mass destruction in space, but says nothing about military activities in
>>> general in space.

>>Oh please...Just about everytool used in spacecraft construction, and
>>every component on a spacecraft are listed on the US's WMD list. Even
>>35% H2O2 is listed as a WMD.

>The US's "WMD list" is an irrelevant joke.  The *international* definition
>of "weapons of mass destruction" -- the one that applies to treaties -- is
>nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, period. 


Do you know of a treaty or other formal agreement which specifies this
definition?  I've never seen such a thing, which apparent gap fosters no
small ammount of confusion in discussions like this.

And I'd quibble about your "period".  AIUI, "WMD" is preferred over "NBC"
as a hedge against some smartass coming up with something comparable in
effect but based on fundamentally new technology.  But yes, the consensus
definition of "WMD" among people who aren't trying to obfuscate some dubious
bit of politics is "Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and if someone invents an
antimatter bomb next year we'll add it to the list".

Since the antimatter bomb wasn't invented last year, anyone using "WMD" to
point at anything less than "NBC", is trying to disengage rational thought
and observation w/re some matter you probably want to look at closely and
thoughtfully.


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