Two new articles in favor of space-based missile defense were released today. Both articles make the point that space-based missile defense has to be disentangled from discussions over space weapons because there is a clearer security case for space based missile defense than for space weapons in general. The first article comes from a traditional supporter of space weapons:

Lambakis, Steven. “Missile Defense From Space.” Policy Review. No. 141 (February and March 2007).

but the second one comes from the United Nations’ disarmament publication, Disarmament Forum:

Gruselle, Bruno. “The final frontier: missile defence in space?.” Disarmament Forum. No. 1 (2007): 53-57.

This quote from the Gruselle article sums up the attempt to reframe the debate around space weapons and missile defense nicely:

Considering the current global security situation and trends, any debate on the deployment of weapons in space should be focused on finding a balance between all states’ security needs rather than on trying to find a way to ban the larger spectre of military application platforms in space. Future US administrations may be willing to engage in a debate-even negotiation-on the weaponization of space if US security concerns could really be addressed by it. To make this possible, a tentative first step would be to recognize that not all space-based weapons constitute a threat to international security. Some may even enhance it-such as a future global capability to intercept in-flight missiles fired from a rogue state. Failure to make any concession on the reality of the proliferation concern and the potential of space systems to address this concern will probably lead to the continuation of the present US policy and ultimately to the absence of any progress in the prevention of an arms race in space.