US Navy's Laser Focus: From 'Battleship Diplomacy' to Beaming Profits
📰 THE STORY: The Independent reports that former Trump Navy Secretary Richard Spencer is advocating for the inclusion of 'giant lasers' on new battleships, resurrecting an old naval designation for a new era of high-tech warfare, with proponents citing increased standoff capabilities and deterrence. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This push for advanced, expensive weaponry
echoes the 'Star Wars' Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) of the 1980s, a project that was heavily criticized as a boondoggle used to funnel trillions into defense contractors under the guise of an impenetrable shield, rather than a truly viable defense system. The US military budget ballooned during the Cold War from $287.9 billion in 1980 to $427.5 billion in 1989 (inflation-adjusted 2023
dollars), largely driven by such ambitious, often unproven, projects. Double Standard: When nations like China or Russia develop advanced anti-ship missiles or laser technologies, it's framed by Western media as an aggressive threat to global stability, necessitating a massive US military response. Yet, when the US proposes deploying 'giant lasers'—weapons designed for offensive projection of
force—it's presented as a prudent, defensive innovation needed to 'protect' global waterways, ignoring the inherent escalatory nature of such capabilities. Follow the Money: The defense industry in the US is a revolving door of former military officials and government contractors. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman stand to gain massively from such high-cost, high-tech