• Boddhisatva@lemmy.world
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    10 minutes ago

    Trump’s Golden Dome idea is impossible. The tech and resources to defend even the contiguous 48 states against even North Korea’s level of ICBM capabilities does not exist.

    The truth is that the whole program is intended to pour federal money into the hands of the wealthy. In fact, Musk already has the lead in providing the system as of this April 17th article from Reuters. And the icing on the cake is this.

    In an unusual twist, SpaceX has proposed setting up its role in Golden Dome as a “subscription service” in which the government would pay for access to the technology, rather than own the system outright.

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    I’m sure the ten million people losing healthcare are very happy their taxes will go toward enriching defense contractors instead

    • d00phy@lemmy.world
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      10 hours ago

      Especially given there’s absolutely no way in Hell $175b will cover a fraction of the cost of such a defense system. They will have lost health insurance in exchange for a small piece of vaporware.

      • AA5B@lemmy.world
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        1 hour ago

        I haven’t heard of any details yet and wouldn’t be surprised if there are none

        Most of us reading the comparison to Iron Dome will think of multiple interconnected layered weapons systems protecting the entire country, while having the intelligence to use cheap plentiful interceptors where possible. Not only is it ridiculous to expect that so cheaply, but we can’t even seem to account for Chinese “weather balloons” crossing our airspace.

        It’s possible they will spend that money on the infrastructure to have more detailed live knowledge of the entire airspace, including low and slow drones, so that it’s possible to react. Not likely though, that’s not flashy enough.

        That $175B is probably just meant to enrich military contractors, but in case there’s anything real to it …… $175B can buy several Patriot missile batteries (which I believe is one of the weapons systems integrated into Iron Dome) to be permanently installed near major cities. Done. Declare victory. Somehow tie it back to Joe Biden.

  • DaddleDew@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    The Soviet Union collapsed in good part because it bankrupted itself trying to catch up with the Star Wars program, which was not even real.

    • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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      10 hours ago

      The point isn’t to actually build the thing, the point is to send government money over to military contractor friends.

      • Noite_Etion@lemmy.world
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        11 hours ago

        What’s worse is I doubt even half the money will be used on the project itself, it will just be pocketed by Trump’s mates.

        You’re just paying for Yachts and Mansions.

  • SnarkoPolo@lemm.ee
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    11 hours ago

    Been there, done that. Remember Reagan’s bright shiny “Star Wars” that was going to end world leftism?

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    Military officials said at the time that they hadn’t expressed a need for such a comprehensive shield to defend the U.S., while critics noted the U.S. wasn’t under threat from its neighbors, Canada and Mexico

    Now we know why he started shit with Canada!

    • Gsus4@mander.xyz
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      14 hours ago

      “Oh shit, if you rape your neighbours, they can fight back? Gotta get working on close air defense ASAP!”

  • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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    13 hours ago

    Does the plan involve every American billionaire being paid to provide everyone with a golden shower

    • TheCriticalMember@aussie.zone
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      12 hours ago

      Yes, but you’ll have to pay for the shower. Otherwise it’s too much like getting something for free and that’s commie bullshit.

    • jagged_circle@feddit.nl
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      2 hours ago

      Oh. It’ll work. Tax payers dollars will flow into the pockets of Trump’s billionaires. That’s the only goal here. It worked last time for the wall too. The intended mission was totally accomplished