Lost in Space? by risa
by FoggyB.
Diplomacy and democracy often interact in unusual and unexpected ways. A case in point is the election campaign currently taking place in Canada. On January 11th, the conservative paper the Western Standard published a leaked version of the Liberal Party electoral platform. Tucked away in this 86-page document is mention of the Liberal Party’s intention to “lead an international campaign at the United Nations to establish a treaty banning all weapons in space.” While this one statement attracted a lot of attention in the Canadian press the initiative is not new. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin delivered a similar comment at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2004.
However, what is odd is that the Liberal Party would make any mention of this issue at all. First, there currently are no weapons in space. Second, if Canada were to take initiatives in diplomacy, it would seem more appropriate to focus on more immediate and deadly international issues, such as (to pick a few) civil war in Sudan, unrest in Haiti, human rights in China, or child soldiers in Uganda. Third, Canadian elections have traditionally been remarkably introverted, focusing on domestic issues such as education, unemployment, or health care. And last, achieving a ban on all weapons in space seems at odds with the overriding goal, established by the Liberal in their recent International Policy Statement, of seeking enhanced bilateral relations with the US. Paul Martin’s Liberal Party would most likely be able to organize a large coalition of states to sign a space weapons ban. Indeed, the resolution on the “Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space” (PAROS) passes with overwhelming majorities in the UN General Assembly. Prime Minister Martin and Canada would most likely be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for these efforts.
The only problem in this plan is that the only country voting against the PAROS resolution is the US. Therefore seeking a ban on space weapons and seeking better relations with the US becomes a zero-sum game: what helps one cause damages the other. The US has made it increasingly clear that it should have all means at its disposal to protect its space assets. This policy shift was spearheaded in 2001 by Donald Rumsfeld, before he was sworn in as Secretary of Defense. Indeed, the US will soon have more invested in outer space than it presently does in Europe and is keen to find a way to adequately protect these assets. It sees the current efforts to ban space weapons a delusional at best and dangerous at worst. The US Secretary of Defense and US Space Command (motto: Masters of Space) are seeking ways to promote what are called “Counterspace operations” . Therefore, how exactly the Liberals wish to fulfill their promise remains very much to be seen.
So have the Canadian Liberals become dewy-eyed idealists? Hardly. While an eventual weaponisation of space would be remarkably expensive, destabilizing, militarily ineffective, and environmentally devastating, it does not in and of itself warrant such a high priority in any election campaign. But from their experience debating the issue of ballistic missile defense (BMD), the Liberals know that space weapons are a hot button issue, stirring strong emotions (although perhaps not necessarily understanding) among voters.
While BMD and space weapons are distinct questions, they are related, and are seen as interchangeable by many Canadians. The Liberals also know that space weapons are a wedge issue for the Conservative Party. Many moderate Conservatives and defecting Liberal voters are tired of the Liberal Party, but are also apprehensive about certain segments of the Conservative platform, namely their stated intention to re-start discussions with the US on Canadian participation in BMD. Lastly, the Liberals know that BMD was very unpopular in Quebec, somewhat as unpopular as the Liberals currently appear to be in that province. Promising a ban on space weapons is a cheap way to try to garner support. Because diplomacy always depends on factors external to any nation’s control, the Liberals will never be held accountable if their initiative never materializes.
While the pursuit of a ban on all weapons in space is a noble cause, Canadians should not be fooled by such promises during this election Campaign. (Canadians should also not be fooled by any Conservative BMD promises, but that is a post for another day.)
F.B.
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