Yaffee: Russian nukes in space? Another reason Space Command should come to Huntsville

U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, chairman on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, called the Biden administration to declassify information about a “serious national security threat.”

Statement from Chairman @RepMikeTurner: pic.twitter.com/OA9yJuEPlf

— House Intelligence Committee (@HouseIntel) February 14, 2024

It is being reported that the threat has to do with Russia wanting to put nuclear weapons in space in order to threaten U.S. satellites.

Many are skeptical of the timing of all of this because congressional leadership is trying to pass an aid package to help Ukraine in its war against Russia. While the motivations behind Tuner’s comments are definitely suspect, there is no doubt that Russia really wants to threaten America’s infrastructure in earth’s orbit.

This issue isn’t just another example that Space Force was a necessary addition to the U.S. military, one that former President Trump deserves a great deal of credit for, it’s also an example of why leaders shouldn’t be playing politics when it comes to the location of the Space Command Headquarters.

Last year Biden decided to reverse the decision to bring the new Space Command HQ to Huntsville, instead announcing that it would remain in Colorado. The president proved he cared more about hurting a Republican controlled state than he did about national security.

Huntsville is the best place in the country to handle the future space defense. It has Redstone Arsenal AND the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. There is no better city where space research can work hand in hand with the military and defense contractors to help keep Americans safe.

Don’t just take my word for it. A non-public, 87-page report issued from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirmed Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal was ranked first in the Air Force’s Evaluation and Selection phases.

“Air Force analysis identified Redstone Arsenal as the highest scoring location in the Evaluation Phase, the highest ranked location in the Selection Phase, and the location with the most advantages in the decision matrix,” the GAO report stated. “Air Force officials, including the then Secretary of the Air Force, stated that the decision to identify Redstone Arsenal as the preferred location stemmed from Air Force analysis showing it was the strongest candidate location.”

The fact is America needs to be prepared for the future of warfare, much of which will be in space. Much of the U.S. military and civilian infrastructure is currently in space. An attack on that infrastructure will not only devastate the economy, but would severely undermine our military capabilities.

The Trump campaign should use the Russian nuclear threat in space as an opportunity to show how Biden is playing politics with national security, and then announce that the Trump administration will work to bring the Space Command HQ to Huntsville.

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) and others should be talking to the media today about why this threat is another reason Space Command should come to northern Alabama.

Whatever you think of Turner’s comments, the threat from Russia and China to our assets in space is real. It’s time to take this threat seriously, and moving Space Command HQ to Huntsville is a step in doing that.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee