The U.S. Air Force says that it must secure space to protect the nation from attack, and is seeking President Bush's approval of a national-security directive that could move the United States closer to deploying offensive and defensive space weapons. The proposed change would be a substantial shift in American policy. Any new presidential directive would replace a 1996 Clinton administration policy that emphasized a more pacific use of space, including spy satellites' support for military operations, arms control and non-proliferation pacts. It would almost certainly be opposed by the international community, who have said it may create an arms race in space. While analysts feel this move will be unwelcome, military officials believe that "Space superiority is not our birthright, but it is our destiny. Space superiority is our day-to-day mission. Space supremacy is our vision for the future."
