Download or read book The Best Defense: Charting the Future of US Space Strategy and Policy written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States is at a cross-roads with respect to space. The challenge that now presents itself is how to craft a strategy that maintains the United States' asymmetric advantage in space while moving from the current age of uncontested access to one where access must be assured by deliberate actions. All military strategies are key to the overall grand strategy of the state, but the U.S. military strategy for space holds a special degree of influence upon the overall success of U.S. grand strategy. What type of strategy would best achieve U.S. security objectives? Should the United States adopt a largely defensive strategy to protect its interests and preserve its advantages, or does the adage "the best defense is a strong offense" hold true for space? This thesis seeks to inform modern-day space strategy decisions through an examination of three historical case studies in which U.S. strategists and decision makers faced similar high stakes national security decisions with uncertain outcomes: the hydrogen bomb, MIRV missiles, and Star Wars. Analyses of these decision making processes and the resulting consequences give insight into these important questions and may inform us on the potential road ahead for space. These cases reveal how military superiority strategies; faith in, and reliance upon technology to solve complex national security problems; and a strong preference for offensive solutions to secure U.S. national security can produce the opposite of their intended effects. The potential exists for the United States to adopt a military strategy for space -- and acquire weapons to support its fulfillment -- that undermines U.S. grand strategy and delivers less security. The author concludes that given the current context, the nation is better off pushing the status quo in space without perturbing strategic stability, which will help retain the political, military, and economic advantages it has worked to hard to achieve.