July 16, 2025 • 60 mins
Missile defense systems have become the frontline of modern warfare with Israel's Iron Dome standing as a testament to their life-saving potential. Since its 2011 deployment, this technological marvel has intercepted thousands of rockets with an astonishing 85-90% success rate, transforming Israel's security landscape and inspiring similar systems to be developed worldwide.
The United States now aims to create its own continental shield—the Golden Dome—a sophisticated defense network designed to protect North America from ballistic and hypersonic missile threats. This ambitious project echoes Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) of the 1980s, nicknamed "Star Wars," which envisioned space-based laser platforms and advanced interceptors to render nuclear weapons "impotent and obsolete." Though never fully realized, SDI laid crucial groundwork for today's defense planning.
What makes these systems so remarkable is their integration of cutting-edge technologies. The Iron Dome employs advanced radar to detect threats within seconds, battle management algorithms analyze trajectories, and interceptor missiles are launched o neutralize targets in mid-air. The Golden Dome would expand this concept across the entire continental U.S., incorporating artificial intelligence to make split-second decisions about which threats to engage and how to optimize interception.
But these defense platforms raise profound questions beyond their technical specifications. Why do ancient Biblical stories like the Tower of Babel warn about humanity reaching too far into the heavens? Was Reagan's famous U.N. speech about humanity uniting against an extraterrestrial threat more than just rhetorical flourish? When military officials describe engaging "unknown objects" in our airspace, to what exactly are they referring?
As we witness the emergence of undertakings like the Stargate Project in the UAE—a massive AI infrastructure development with partners like NVIDIA and OpenAI—we must consider whether these technologies are preparing us for threats beyond our traditional understanding. Are we building such sophisticated defense systems solely to protect against human adversaries, or is there something more our governments might know about threats from beyond Earth?
"Space Journey" by Geoff Harvey
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Joe (00:02):
Hello and thank you for joining us on Alien Talk Podcast
.
This is the show where wediscuss all things about aliens
and UFOs and, as always, wherewe push the limits of our
understanding about subjectsthat pertain to the existence of
extraterrestrial life, thepresence of UFOs and perhaps the
very meaning of our existencehere on our noble planet.
We explore the mysteries of thecosmos and the enshrouded
(00:24):
secrets of our planet's history,constantly pondering what is
out there in the far reaches ofspace and asking questions about
what our ancestors encounteredin all those wondrous and
revered stories from the distantpast and looking toward what is
in store for the future.
So over the last few months webegan spending a good bit of
time focusing on the ancientMiddle East and how its
(00:46):
mythology from there hasinfluenced much of the current
theories about humanity'sorigins.
Stories mainly from theSumerians in Mesopotamia that
are known today as Iraq havebeen closely studied and have
influenced the contemporarynotions about ancient aliens and
their technology, haveinfluenced the contemporary
notions about ancient aliens andtheir technology.
So today we're going to lookmore at the modern Middle East,
(01:08):
particularly with the country ofIsrael and the implementation
of vital high-tech militaryweapon systems, something that
has protected the region fromattack in unprecedented ways and
is known as the Iron Dome andNori.
We see that this is a prototypefor a similar defense
application for which our owngovernment has been pushing for
(01:29):
many years.
Laurie (01:31):
Yeah, that's right, Joe.
It is about something called theGolden Dome, and it has been a
major news topic this year.
It became a buzzword that got alot of attention throughout the
election coverage of 2024, as itwas called for as a part of
Project 2025.
So one of just many plansformulated by the conservative
(01:53):
think tank, The HeritageFoundation, and, of course, its
purpose is to bolster nationaldefense by ensuring that the
North American airspace isguarded from intrusion of enemy
ballistic missiles.
It relies on a complex networkof sensors, both ground-based
(02:14):
and space-based as well, thatdetect any movement of
threatening objects in the upperatmosphere, and an equally
complex array of missile launchsites set up to aim and destroy
them before striking a target inthe United States.
So President Trump signed theexecutive order back in January
(02:35):
of this year for the Departmentof Defense to begin a project
and to design and establish itbased off the system
implementation of Israel's IronDome, which has touted
successful performances since itwas first started in 2011.
And you know, we got to see alot of it in action here
(02:56):
recently with the Iranianattacks.
Some of the missiles gotthrough, but you know, for the
majority, the Iron Dome stilllived up to its name.
Joe (03:06):
Yeah, it formally went online in 2011.
It was tested quite a bit forabout at least 10 years before
that.
But yeah it was formally broughtinto the Israeli Defense Forces
arsenal in 2011.
And for those of you who are oldenough to remember the 80s, the
(03:27):
best decade ever, this soundsquite similar to Ronald Reagan's
Strategic Defense Initiative,which was nicknamed back then
Star Wars and sometimes that wasused in a mocking and in a
pejorative way and it seems tobe the same thing because it is
the same thing.
And it seems to be the samething because it is the same
(03:47):
thing, and just like the GoldenDome Missile Defense Project,
which is a highly sophisticatedsystem designed to plan advanced
protection against ballisticand hypersonic missile threats,
the Golden Dome is astate-of-the-art and
cutting-edge defense apparatusthat showcases innovation in our
military technology andnational defense operations, so
(04:09):
as to counter any modern warfarechallenges that we now face in
the 21st century.
The Golden Dome is a testamentto the advances in global
defense strategies, as well asthe Iron Dome, and's designed as
a multi-layered defense system.
It integrates cutting-edgeradar technologies,
(04:30):
precision-guided interceptorswhether they be missiles or
possibly other kinds of weaponsenergy weapons and it also
implements artificialintelligence to help track,
detect and neutralize anyincoming threats.
Laurie (04:46):
Yeah, exactly.
The primary objective of theGolden Dome, though, is to
safeguard strategic locations,civilian infrastructure and
military assets from any missileattacks, so it focuses on
neutralizing short, medium andlong-range missile attacks,
enhancing early warning systemsfor rapid response and
(05:08):
strengthening the nationalsecurity through technological
deterrence.
It employs sophisticated radarsystems that are capable of
detecting missile launcheswithin seconds.
I mean, these radars featurelong-range capabilities and
multi-target tracking andensuring comprehensive coverage
(05:29):
of everything.
The system utilizes highlymaneuverable interceptor
missiles very expensive too, bythe way, but they are equipped
with you know this kinetic killtechnology, and these missiles
are designed to strike incomingthreats accurately and therefore
(05:50):
minimizing collateral damage onthe ground.
Joe (05:54):
Yeah, now to be clear, there is a missile warning and
counterattack system in place atthis time, and there has been
since the 1950s, and it hasundergone multiple phases of
upgrade.
It's somewhat adequate.
Back in the 50s and 60s it wassomething known as the DEW line,
the Distant Early WarningSystem, and it was an array of
(06:18):
radars up in the Arctic Circle,Greenland and northern Canada
and Alaska, and it was meant todetect incoming ICBMs from the
Soviet Union.
It was not that great.
It did not give enoughnotification to bases in the
United States and NORAD beforethey can actually make a
decision.
By the time they reacted, itwas probably going to be too
(06:42):
late.
And that is the problem.
Is that these defensetechnologies that have been used
, even the one that we currentlyhave right now, it lags behind
a lot of the innovations inballistic missile technology.
For instance, there's acapability of deployment of
exo-atmospheric payloads that go, you know, almost into space,
(07:03):
and then there's also hypersonicthrust.
These are hypersonic missilesthat travel much, much faster
than they ever did in the past.
So, basically, the ability tostrike and attack seems to be
one or two steps ahead of theability to thwart the attack,
and so our defenses are hardlyfoolproof.
Also, it's important to makethe distinction between
(07:23):
detection and tracking, whichNORAD does fairly well, and also
between that and interdiction,which is a little more difficult
to achieve with desired results, that is, the ability to stop
the attack.
It's one thing to detect it,it's another thing to stop it,
and that has been seen numeroustimes, with a lot of unwanted
(07:43):
things entering our airspacewith virtually nothing to stop
it.
Just take that Chinese spyballoon from a few years ago.
Even though some people blameincompetence the previous Biden
administration for not doinganything to stop that sooner, as
it crossed the entire continent, it nonetheless illustrates how
problematic it is to shootthings down.
It nonetheless illustrates howproblematic it is to shoot
(08:05):
things down.
So this concept of the GoldenDome is that any threat will be
neutralized before it evenenters our skies.
And if they do get so far as tobe overhead, they will be
destroyed at a very highaltitude.
And the imagery of a dome isemployed to illustrate the
impenetrable barrier thatencapsulates the entire North
American continent, keeping anyand all missiles from reaching
(08:27):
their targets with the use ofanti-aircraft and anti-missile
missiles being fired.
The Iron Dome by the Israelisemploys batteries of movable
missile launch systems.
They can quickly redeploy theseto different sites that
optimize the positions so as toengage incoming attacks.
It's very flexible and AI doesplay a crucial role in its
(08:50):
operation, as it enhancesefficiency and reliability.
From predictive threat analysis, it essentially makes a lot of
calculations that turn andcoordinate a launch sequence for
maximum effectiveness, and thecommand and control systems are
able to make rapid adjustmentsthat turn and coordinate a
launch sequence for maximumeffectiveness, and the command
(09:11):
and control systems are able tomake rapid adjustments split
second based on up-to-the-minutesituational changes In other
words, it more or less makes itsown decisions Right, and it's
almost like Skynet.
Laurie (09:23):
Yeah, and the Golden Dome would work the same way,
just mainly covering a much,much larger area, of course,
that being the entire US andpossibly Canada, M exico, I
don't know, but Israel is asmall country with territory
(09:45):
that is about the size of NewJersey, but, as you can see, it
is much easier to coordinatedetection and counterattack
within an area that small asopposed to the whole continental
USA, which is hundreds of timeslarger and spans multiple time
zones and has varying degrees ofvulnerability, so the Golden
Dome is therefore much more of achallenge to implement.
(10:10):
It serves as a critical assetin modern military strategy,
though, and this is because itprovides a reliable shield
against the missile attacks.
So, it's an upgrade from whatwe have right now, and it
protects high-value targets andreduces the vulnerability during
(10:34):
conflicts and supportsdiplomatic efforts.
By offering a robust defensemechanism, it boosts morale
among civilians and gives themthat sense of security, I guess,
and the military personnel, sheshows that they are prepared,
(10:59):
and the whole idea for theprogram was conceptualized
during the first TrumpAdministration in response to
escalating missile attacksworldwide, and its development
involves collaboration amongleading defense contractors,
research institutions andgovernment agencies, and it has
(11:20):
undergone rigorous testing toensure operational readiness and
effectiveness.
Probably there's been a lot ofDemocrats that were in support
of it too, but the Golden DomeMissile Defense Project has, I
guess, revolutionized hownations approach these missile
threats, and its success hasinspired similar initiatives
(11:44):
globally, fostering innovationand international collaboration
in defense technologies.
And although highly effective,the Golden Dome does face
challenges, such, as you know,the evolving missile
technologies and these cyberthreats that we now have.
So continued investment in theresearch and development is very
(12:07):
essential to address these manyconcerns and ensure that the
system remains ahead of theseemerging threats.
This is similar to theStrategic Defense Initiative
under Ronald Reagan, whichbecame a turning point in the
geopolitical arena as it formedwithin part of a broader US
(12:28):
military buildup that eventuallybrought us out of the Cold War.
Ronald Reagan is oftenremembered for his profound
impact on foreign relations, andthat is probably most evident
with the U.
S.
S.
R.
, the dissolution of the WarsawPact and the eventual collapse
of the Iron Curtain in easternEurope.
(12:48):
For all its promising ambitions, the Star Wars plan was
scrapped, mainly due to theexorbitant cost estimates which
man.
They were as high as $630billion back in 1988.
So, that's equivalent toapproximately $1.5 trillion
today.
Joe (13:08):
Yeah, and it's also important to remember how fast
technology has moved forward inthe last 30 to 40 years.
Really! The Star Wars StrategicDefense Initiative is a little
obsolete in its plan making.
Missile design is better,computer control systems are
better, electroniccountermeasures are better and
(13:29):
AI is now a part of so manydifferent systems that must be
properly integrated into acomplex, multi-layered system,
meaning that it's a combinationof many different sensor and
weapons platforms that provide areliable shield against attacks
.
So, yeah, what he said, thewhole thing has been a
revolutionary idea and it doesgo back to the Reagan years.
(13:51):
It even entailed a plan ofusing high-power laser beams and
particle beams, these energyweapons that would be used to
destroy incoming attacks, so itwouldn't just be anti-missile
missiles.
So it was a big, complex,diverse array of things that
were implemented and part of theplan and some of these would be
(14:14):
from weaponized satellites,space stations in orbit that
would take aim from up there.
And, yeah, it kind of went awaythroughout the 90s.
We didn't hear much about itthrough the 2000s, but it all
reemerged a lot in 2018/ 2019,with the Trump White House
wanting to build a betterdefense system so as to shield
(14:35):
the civilian population frompossible attacks from countries
like Russia, iran or North Korea, and a National Defense
Authorization Act was signedback then, and then CI Director
Mike Pompeo called foradditional funding for what
would be a strategic defenseinitiative like a defense a
(14:57):
Strategic Defense I nitiative"2.0, essentially, and it went
to hiatus after the COVIDpandemic and the subsequent 2020
election.
However, it is now back, partlywith the passing of the latest
big, beautiful bill to make it apart of the military spending
agenda on missile defense.
(15:17):
So you know, this Iron Dome,Israel's groundbreaking system,
has become emblematic of modernwarfare innovation.
It was developed as a responseto frequent I mean thousands and
tens of thousands of rocketattacks that had targeted
Israeli civilian areas like TelAviv and Jerusalem mainly, and
(15:38):
it is really a tactical marvelas it's designed to intercept
short-range rockets.
As it's designed to interceptshort-range rockets, as that's
mostly where the rockets arecoming from, in places like
Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza,and it intercepts these rockets
and artillery shells, mortars,and since its deployment in 2011
, it has transformed thelandscape of missile defense
(16:01):
systems, providing security andstrategic advantages in conflict
zones, of which Israel and Gazaare kind of unique.
In how things are going, and inthe early 2000s, you know,
Israel faced recurrent threatsfrom rockets being launched by
these militant groups,particularly Hamas and Hezbollah
(16:22):
, and they resulted in mountingcasualties and disrupted daily
life in towns at the border ofGaza and Lebanon.
So, recognizing the urgency toprotect this population, the
Israeli government started toembark on the development of the
Iron Dome.
It looks like it went into itstesting phase, sort of its beta
(16:43):
phase, all the way back in 2006under the Israeli defense
company Rafale Advanced DefenseSystems, along with the American
contractor Raytheon.
Laurie (17:17):
Hmm, yeah Well, the Iron Dome radar detection and
tracking system, which providesthe early warning and identifies
the incoming missiles or anytype of threat that comes in
from the air.
The battle management andweapon control system analyze
trajectory and it calculatesinterception requirements.
(17:38):
The missile firing unitlaunches Tamir interceptor
missiles capable of neutralizingaerial threats.
The Iron Dome operates withremarkable efficiency and
precision.
It is designed to identify thetrajectory of incoming
projectiles and determinewhether they pose a danger to
(18:00):
populated areas or criticalinfrastructure, and if a threat
is confirmed, the system thenactivates and launches these
interceptor missiles to destroythe target in midair.
The system's success depends onits ability to discriminate
between the innocuous andhigh-risk projectiles, so this
(18:23):
ensures that resources are notwasted on rockets distant to
land, you know, harmlessly inopen areas.
They don't want to waste them,and the system's advanced radar
network and computer algorithmsallow it to make these
split-second decisions, whichhave proven viable or invaluable
during intense rocket barrages.
(18:45):
So it's very sophisticated andsince its first inception in
April of 2011, the Iron Dome hasconsistently demonstrated an
impressive success rate.
An impressive success rate.
Estimates suggest that itsinterception rate ranges from
(19:06):
85% to 90% for these incomingrockets targeting these
populated areas, and the systemhas been deployed in numerous
conflicts, including theOperation Pillar of Defense back
in 2012.
During this eight-day operation,the Ironome intercepted more
than 400 rockets, and then therewas an Operation Protective
(19:27):
Edge from 2014.
The system played a crucialrole there in intercepting
around 735 rockets out ofapproximately 4,500 that were
launched.
Of approximately 4,500 thatwere launched and in May of 2021
, conflict in one of the mostintense rounds of violence.
Over 1,500 rockets were firedinto Israel and the Iron Dome
(19:51):
intercepted hundreds, preventingextensive damage and casualties
.
So the Iron Dome's primaryachievement lies in its ability
to save lives.
With its deployment, civiliancasualties from rocket attacks
have significant decreased.
Before its existence, residentsin high-risk areas often had
(20:15):
limited means of protection,relying on shelters and sirens
to minimize harm.
To date, Iron Dome provides amuch-added layer of security,
giving civilians more time andassurance in the face of
incoming threats.
Joe (20:34):
Yeah, many of us remember during the Gulf War in 1991, how
the successful use of thePatriot missile batteries was
employed with nearly perfection.
They were able to take downalmost every SCUD missile that
was launched at U.
S.
bases in Saudi Arabia and inother areas of the Middle East.
(20:56):
And yet these missiles, Iremember, were sold to the
Israelis back then in the 90s.
It's still used in thesenetworks for the Iron Dome.
I think they've developed evenbetter systems that are part of
that.
So, it's the same idea.
Anybody's familiar with ananti-missile missile, which is
(21:16):
essentially you're shooting downa missile with another missile.
When you're talking about thisnetwork of an, an iron dome or a
golden dome, you're talkingabout, you know, not just one or
two batteries, but they're allover the place and they kind of
work in harmony.
And then the success of itdepends on its ability to
discriminate between innocuousand high-risk projectiles.
(21:39):
It almost has a mind of its own.
It knows where to launch andwhere not to launch, and where
to detect and where not todetect, and this ensures that
resources are not wasted onrockets.
Like you said, they're destinedto land harmlessly.
Let it hit the empty desert.
In the Gulf War that was thecase too.
A lot of SCUD missiles were noton a trajectory to anything
(22:00):
that was populated.
Was it going to go into anempty quadrant?
Let it go, and it does that byutilizing calculations from
advanced radar data and thesekinds of split-second decisions
computer algorithms to make, andit's been proven invaluable
during these rocket barrageswhich have been going on almost
(22:21):
nonstop in.
Israel for as long as I canremember.
And this program of the IronDome has allowed the Israeli
government to tout to the West agreat record of keeping
casualties and collateral damageon both sides down to a minimum
.
Despite all the barrages ofrockets, you don't really hear
often of great damage.
(22:42):
Yeah, there are casualties,there are deaths and there's
destruction, but not on a scalethat you would think I mean, for
you know 500,000 missilesbecause most of them do get shot
down.
So, beyond the physicalprotection, the Iron Dome has
bolstered a strategic posture.
Physical protection, the IronDome has bolstered a strategic
(23:04):
posture.
It reduces the success ofrockets sent by terrorists and
thereby diminishes their abilityto cause panic.
People are more confident thatwhatever is launched at their
country, it'll get knocked outof the sky, and this is a
psychological advantage thatstrengthens Israel's resilience
and demonstrates its commitmentto safeguarding its citizenry.
It's been used regularly in thelast two years against Hamas,
(23:27):
as we kind of pointed out, andmostly recently against the
country of Iran.
And despite its efficiency, it'snot without its challenges.
Among some of the notablelimitations of the Iron Dome is
the cost Each of the Tamirmissiles, the interceptor
missiles.
They cost tens of thousands ofdollars apiece Maintaining the
(23:50):
system for prolonged conflicts.
There're maintenance costs thatconstrain financial resources
as the Israeli military goesthrough thousands of them,
sources as the Israeli militarygoes through thousands of them.
There's this saturation risk.
While the Iron Dome can handlemultiple threats simultaneously,
it's not undefeatable Ifthere's a high saturation.
(24:17):
There's always kind of a fearof some of the military leaders,
both in the U.
S.
and Israel, that just a hugewave of rockets could overwhelm
the system, leading to some ofthem not being shot down.
And then there's alsotechnological advancements by
adversaries, as militant andterrorist groups develop their
own sophisticated weaponry,including drones and
precision-guided missiles.
The Iron Dome faces continuingand evolving threats, and they
(24:41):
have to keep up.
Laurie (24:43):
Yeah, and we saw that with these recent Iranian
attacks, where a lot of them, alot of the missiles did get
through, but for the most partthere were still not many
casualties.
But it's only going to make thisis only going to make the Iron
Dome even harder to penetratenow, because you know, when
(25:05):
something like this happens,where people start to die and
missiles get through, they onlystart making the, you know, the
missile defense system evenbetter.
So, the Iron, this Iron Dome,has captivated global attention
and everybody watches to seethis thing in action.
And it's inspired other nationsto explore similar technologies
(25:28):
.
And, of course, the U.
S.
and its success has highlightedthe importance of missile
defense systems in contemporarywarfare, the importance of
missile defense systems incontemporary warfare.
So countries like the UnitedStates have invested in
acquiring and adapting theelements of the Iron Dome for
(25:49):
their defense needs.
So, furthermore, the system hasfueled discussions on ethical
considerations in warfare aswell, raising questions about
asymmetry and balance ofdeterrence versus escalation.
While its deploymentdemonstrates technological
superiority, it also underlinesthe complexities of combating
(26:11):
non-state actors in denselypopulated regions.
Joe (26:17):
Yeah.
So as threats evolved, so mustthe Iron Dome, so must the U.
S.
military missile defensesystems, and Israel continues to
invest in enhancing thesesystem capabilities all the time
, integrating it with otherdefensive measures, something
called David's Swing and ArrowSystems.
Essentially, it's kind of acorollary or extension of the
(26:42):
Iron Dome.
It just refers to the moreinterdiction aspect of it is
improved missiles.
Research is going on to improvethis and adapt its features to
counter any emerging threats,like swarm drones.
Another part of the wholepackage hypersonic missiles, as
(27:02):
we mentioned, missiles that aremuch faster and move quickly.
When we're talking aboutsmaller regions of the world,
like the Middle East, it doesn'ttake long for a hypersonic
missile to get from Iran toIsrael just a matter of minutes.
So the time they have to reactfrom warning is very short and
that could be problematic.
(27:23):
Additionally, there are effortsbeing made to reduce these
costs, make accessibility moreincreased and ensure that the
Iron Dome remains sustainablefor short-term skirmishes and
prolonged conflicts.
And, like we said, artificialintelligence.
These innovations are expectedto refine their predictive
(27:43):
capabilities even further,making it a very formidable
shield against its adversaries.
Laurie (27:49):
Yeah, the Iron Dome is a .
It is truly a testament tohuman ingenuity and the
relentless pursuit of protectionin adversity.
The relentless pursuit ofprotection in adversity.
So it's.
I mean, I don't know whereIsrael would be today if they
didn't have this thing, the IronDome.
Its effectiveness inintercepting these threats have
(28:13):
saved countless lives andthey've reduced the civilian
trauma, and it's reshaped themilitary strategies.
While not without limitations,of course, it does remain a
cornerstone of Israel's defenseinfrastructure and its legacy
continues to inspireadvancements in missile defense
(28:33):
systems all around the world andas the world observes its
evolution.
That's why I say everybodykeeps tuning in to see this
thing in action, the Iron Dome.
It symbolizes how technologycan play a pivotal role in
safeguarding populations amidstthe complexities of today's
modern warfare.
Joe (28:55):
Yeah, and we believe that all of this the Iron Dome
technology it stems it has itsbeginning with the Star Wars
Strategic Defense Initiative,set forth by Reagan as it arose
during the heightened tensionsbetween the U.
S.
and the Soviet Union.
The Cold War had entered a newphase, with both superpowers
engaged in an unrelenting armsrace that involved nuclear
(29:18):
weapons.
Unrelenting arms race thatinvolved nuclear weapons.
Reagan was a staunch opponentto the doctrine of mutually
assured destruction, which heldthat the threat of complete
annihilation would deter bothsides from launching a first
strike.
This was kind of the policy andthe doctrine for a long time,
and Reagan sought a solution toreduce the reliance on just
(29:41):
hoping the enemy won't doanything because they're afraid
of us.
So, a lot of it is, you know,peace to strength.
That is a doctrine that is nowembraced today under the Trump
white house, but it alsoinvolves the ability to adapt
and then be flexible in comingup with new plans, and one of
(30:04):
them is a defense initiativewhich was set forth back all the
way in the 80s.
Laurie (30:11):
Well, it was on March 23rd 1983, that Reagan delivered
a landmark speech from the OvalOffice outlying his vision for
a sophisticated missile defensesystem, and he presented the SDI
as a means to.
You know, the Strategic DefenseInitiative as a means to render
(30:31):
nuclear weapons impotent andobsolete.
This vision includedspace-based laser weapons,
ground-based interceptors andadvanced radar systems designed
to detect and destroyintercontinental ballistic
missiles, icbms before theycould even reach their targets
on American soil.
(30:52):
That's what makes it so greatwith America living in the
middle, we have oceans betweenus, so it makes it a little bit
harder for them to send thosethings this way.
Joe (31:02):
Yeah, and skeptics in the media and in Capitol Hill coined
the nickname Star Wars, and itunderscored this futuristic and
science fiction-like nature tothe proposition.
At the heart of the StrategicDefense Initiative were
groundbreaking concepts thatsought to revolutionize defense,
(31:25):
such as space-based laserplatforms that was one of the
most ambitious componentsinvolved which deployed
high-energy laser systems aboardsatellites.
So shortly after launch, theselasers could intercept and
destroy ICBMs in their boostphase, meaning before they're
(31:46):
really kind of in that final arc.
Going up into the higheratmosphere, essentially within
minutes after being launched, iswhen they'd be destroyed,
giving us more time to utilize.
And it makes you wonder, you.
You wonder if all those SpaceXlaunches are just communication
satellites.
I mean, I'm sure they are, butit's kind of funny how, after
(32:07):
Elon Musk and SpaceX came onscene and that, president Trump
announced the creation of theSpace Force and the Golden Dome.
So I mean there's a lot ofmoving parts with this.
Possibly, you know, covertagendas and things like that.
And there's, we always knowthere's much more going on than
what meets the eyes.
I mean, that's no doubt We'vebeen knowing, we've known that
(32:30):
for our entire lives.
But I think people also forgetthat there was a time during the
Cold War when the threat ofnuclear annihilation was very
real.
I know our parents went throughit, you and I went through a
little bit of it until the ColdWar came to an end in the early
90s and some people say it neverdid end.
Some people say we're still init.
(32:51):
But you know the threat ofWorld War III where the Soviet
Union and the United Stateslaunch ICBMs at each other.
That was a big fear in people'sminds going back to the 50s and
60s, wouldn't you agree?
Laurie (33:08):
Oh, yeah, for sure.
Absolutely, many years ago.
I remember reading in themagazine Popular Science about
how the US had the technology toshoot down ICBMs as they lift
their launch pads, and I readthis in the 1990s.
The Strategic DefenseInitiative also envisioned
(33:32):
deploying interceptor missilesstationed on Earth, and these
would target enemy warheadsmid-flight, using the kinetic
energy or explosive technologyto destroy them.
Advanced tracking and radarsystems coordinate these
defensive measures, and the SDIrequired a network of advanced
(33:52):
satellite-based sensors andground-based radar installations
to detect and track incomingthreats accurately.
The announcement of theStrategic Defense Initiative
elicited a mix of support,skepticism and outright
opposition.
Proponents of the DefenseInitiative viewed it as a bold
(34:18):
step forward, ending the nucleararms race and safeguarding
American cities from thesepotential Soviet attacks.
Reagan supporters praised himfor his visionary leadership and
commitment to strengtheningnational defense.
However, there was skepticismfrom scientists, and many of
(34:40):
these scientists and defenseexperts doubted the feasibility
of the technologies underpinningthe whole defense initiative,
and they pointed out thesignificant technical challenges
and astronomical costs andpotential vulnerabilities of
such a system and potentialvulnerabilities of such a system
.
So the critics warned that theStrategic Defense Initiative
(35:05):
could spark a new arms race inspace.
Joe (35:09):
Yeah, and we saw that in the Reagan years.
The Soviet Union vehementlyopposed the whole thing, viewing
it as a direct threat to thestrategic balance of power
another geopolitical doctrine.
Back then, Mikhail Gorbachev,the Premier of the Soviet Union,
contemporary of Ronald Reagan,argued that the SDI would
(35:35):
undermine existing arms controlagreements and escalate tensions
, bringing us closer towardsWorld War III.
The Allies in Western Europealso expressed concerns about it
the program's potential todestabilize global security.
While the complete vision ofSDI was never realized, as far
as we know, it played a crucialrole in the Cold War diplomacy.
(35:55):
Even though it never came about, as far as we know, Reagan's
commitment to it placed immensepressure on the Soviet Union,
which was already strugglingwith economic stagnation, and
the Soviet leaders recognizedthat competing with the United
States to develop similarmissile defense technologies
would further drain theirresources.
Laurie (36:47):
Right, and many historians argue that the
defense initiative contributedto the Soviet Union's eventual a
move that was influenced inpart by the leverage of the
strategic defense initiativethat provided.
While the defense initiativedid not achieve its original
(37:07):
vision, it left a lasting impacton defense policy and
technological innovation.
Research conducted under theSDI paved the way for
advancements in missile defense,satellite technology and even
the laser systems.
Programs such as theground-based midcourse defense
(37:31):
system and the Aegis ballisticmissile defense system hold much
to the groundwork laid duringthe SDI era system hold much to
the groundwork laid during theSDI era.
Politically, SDI solidifiedReagan's reputation as a leader
unafraid to tackle theseambitious goals, and it also
(37:52):
underscored the United States'ability to project power not
only in terrestrial conflictsbut also in the emerging arena
of space.
Joe (38:02):
Yeah.
So the Star Wars programremains a defining moment in
Cold War history.
Any of us who were alive backin the 80s remember the whole
story, and it exemplified theintersection of politics,
technology and military strategywhen the world was grappling
with the existential threat ofnuclear warfare.
And while its technologies mayhave seemed fantastical at the
(38:27):
time, sti's underlying ambitionis to protect humanity from the
specter of nuclear annihilation,and that continues to resonate
today.
Even today In contemporarydiscussions about global
security, the weaponization ofspace, we're still under the
(38:48):
fear of there being alarge-scale world war and also
the fear of nuclear weaponsbeing used.
So even after Star Wars wasscrapped, a new plan was quickly
devised.
It was called Brilliant Pebbles.
That was proposed in 1987 byastrophysicists at the Livermore
(39:09):
National Laboratory inCalifornia, namely two men named
Lowell Wood and Edward Teller,and they had the idea of placing
satellites that would be manysatellites like, maybe hundreds
of them, and then they wouldorbit over Soviet Russia to
detect any launches.
So, we would get informationfrom you know, essentially the
(39:35):
part where they were gettinglaunched out in Siberia.
And these ICBM attacks wouldthen be neutralized with
high-energy particle beams whichwere being researched at a time
under an earlier program thatwas called Project Excalibur.
The idea was that they coulddestroy these ICBMs almost as
soon as they were launched outover the Soviet Union.
So, a few years later the ColdWar ended under President George
(39:57):
H.
W.
Bush, and with it, so didBrilliant Pebbles.
Laurie (40:03):
How did he come up with these names?
Joe (40:09):
That's kind of a cool name, but Brilliant Pebbles, yeah,
brilliant.
Laurie (40:13):
Pebbles, not so cool Starfish.
But in an article published byMSN.
C MSNcom, authors Bruce Enhornand Sana Pesankar noted that
even five years after itsformation, the U.
S.
Space Force is still trying toearn the respect it seeks,
(40:33):
despite ongoing jokes about itsStar Trek-style logo.
But many people don't evenunderstand.
The Space Force is real.
General Michael Guetlein, theagency's vice chief of space
operations, told the WashingtonArea Conference in March so this
was a luxury that we had whenspace wasn't contested.
(40:56):
We no longer enjoy that luxury.
Joe (41:00):
Yeah, and a little over a week after Guetlein made that
announcement, the administrationthen unveiled the president's
budget request, which includedroughly $26.3 billion for the
Space Force, which was down from$29.6 billion under former
President Joe Biden, which hesought last year in 2024.
(41:20):
So, as Congress moves forwardwith the budget process, these
figures and allocations for theSpace Force may still change.
And the highest-ranking officerin the Space Force, I don't
know his name off the top of myhead, but he has expressed
concerns that limited budgetsare impacting his capabilities
(41:41):
Quotes.
Despite the significant uptakeand space threats and the
growing importance of space overrecent budget cycles, the Space
Force has been faced withdecreasing resources, and this
is General Chance Saltzman,that's chief of space operations
.
I don't know if he is the fourstar, who?
heads the entire branch of themilitary space force, but he he
(42:05):
made that statement during theHouse subcommittee meeting back
on May 6th.
Laurie (42:11):
That is interesting what you said there, Joe.
It is a significant uptick inspace threats, so these threats
may very well be from China andRussia.
However, they could also befrom something extraterrestrial,
and I'm sure you guys wereprobably wondering when are you
guys going to get to the aliensand extraterrestrial stuff that
(42:33):
we do not yet know about?
Even I mean, we don't know,right?
Anyway, the article continuedby saying that as the budget
showdown heats up, he might findsupport from both sides of the
political spectrum.
At a hearing on May 20th, MaineSenator Angus King, an
independent who aligns withDemocrats, criticized the Space
(42:57):
Force's funding as completelyinadequate.
Meanwhile, Republican MikeRogers of the House Armed
Services Committee chairman,raised concerns about our
ability to fight and win inspace during a June 5th hearing,
warning that the upcomingbudget might not provide the
necessary funding for the SpaceForce.
(43:18):
And I mean the battle's foughtin space could be between humans
.
Maybe they could also be foughtagainst some extraterrestrial
force.
Like I said, we just don't know.
Joe (43:31):
Well, we recall, shortly after the Chinese spy balloon
entered our airspace I guessthat was in 2023, like in March
timeframe right after it wasdisabled and shot down off the
coast of South Carolina, theyhad these incursions of unknown
objects, that's what they justcalled them unknown objects,
kind of like around Minnesotaand Michigan, around the
(43:54):
Canadian border.
I haven't heard anything in thepress talk about this since then
.
It has not been made into abigger story as to what these
unknown objects were or fromwhere they came.
They just kind of let thatstory go and I'm kind of
surprised that the media didn'tdo a little more checking on
(44:15):
that, as the Department ofDefense is saying that they
engaged unknown objects, whichseems like a strange description
, strange language.
It says say they engaged anenemy aircraft or a foreign
national asset.
They're saying unknown objects,what's unknown about it?
So I'm hoping that at somepoint we'll hear more about what
(44:38):
exactly that was and if theytruly do know what it is, they
just want to not disclose to thepublic what it is, but it just
seemed like a strange way todescribe it.
I always thought that and I waskind of disappointed more
hasn't been discussed aboutthose unknown objects.
It was like within a week afterthe Chinese spy balloon was
(44:58):
shot down.
Laurie (45:00):
There's still nothing on it.
I think they're just waiting totry and cover up some story.
Joe (45:05):
It's like that in the world of politics and contemporary
matters the news it's a day'smove on.
That story gets some attentionfor maybe a day or two and the
next thing something elsehappens and the news is
happening at the speed of light.
These days, I mean, you knowwe're going to get out done with
this podcast and you know whoknows what breaking story is
(45:28):
awaiting us.
You know, uh, we have, you know, just moves at such a fast pace
.
I don't think some of these,you know, media organizations
can even keep up with it.
So, I think that's what it is.
And we don't even talk aboutthe spy balloon, that much.
I mean, you rarely hearanything said about that, and
that was a pretty big deal acouple of years ago.
(45:49):
So I don't know, I, you know,I'm sure there's a combination
of them trying to, you know,thwart disclosure on certain
things.
But I think it's also thefactor that the news media, you
know, toward disclosure oncertain things.
But I think it's also thefactor that the news media you
know Fox News and CNN, and youknow the legacy networks they
(46:09):
just can't keep up.
There's just too muchinformation coming, coming out
there everywhere all the time,especially with, you know, the
internet and social media.
But that article you weretalking about.
It also explained that thereare escalating tensions with
China that present an additionalopportunity to secure more
funding for the Space Force.
So, back in March, just beforehe was confirmed as the Air
(46:34):
Force Secretary, which includesoversight of the Space Force
Troy Meink cautioned the U.
S.
Senate Armed Service Committeethat the rapidly evolving threat
from China and he hademphasized that the Space Force
may need a significant increasein funding and personnel, making
it a larger organization.
(46:55):
So, as we address thischallenge, China has made
tremendous strides in theinternational space race.
I mean, I would say that theyare ahead of everybody.
That's just my opinion.
Laurie (47:08):
Yeah for sure, and I mean they even look like they're
starting to get ahead orcatching up to the US and the
naval area as well.
So but we must also rememberthat Reagan addressed the United
Nations and talked about thisoutside, extraterrestrial threat
that he believed might bewhat's needed to bring humanity
together.
(47:28):
You know, as we've seen in themovies, such as Independence Day
, I mean that's probably a goodthing.
If China's building up a strongmilitary and we are then we may
have to join forces one day.
So I mean we must ask didReagan and other presidents know
about something that's comingin the future that they took to
(47:52):
their graves with them?
And again, we just don't know.
Joe (47:57):
Right.
Well, here's something elsethat is in the recent
development.
It came from President Trump'srecent trip to the Middle East,
which brought about quite a fewdeals.
One of them is deal with theUnited Arab Emirates, the U.
A.
E.
, and I believe it was a dealfor about $500 billion, and it
involves the production ofsemiconductors.
(48:18):
And there is something referredto as the Stargate Project.
Does that ring a bell, stargate?
And in an article by the NewYork Post dated May 22, 2025,
it's titled Massive Stargate U.
A.
E.
Project to Launch in 2026,which I guess is next year, with
(48:40):
partners NVIDIA, OpenAI andOracle, and it states that the
Stargate U.
A.
E.
project is part of the dealbrokered by President Trump to
build the world's most expensiveset of AI data centers outside
of the United States, outside ofthe United States.
And the company said that theStargate U.
(49:03):
A.
E.
project will use GraceBlackwell GB300 systems,
currently the most advanced AIserver that the company NVIDIA
offers, and the CommerceDepartment oversees export
controls.
Has not said what will the saidbut replace last week that it
will convene a working groupbetween the U.
(49:24):
S.
and the U.
A.
E.
so that the project meets therobust security standards of the
U.
S.
and other efforts toresponsibly deploy AI
infrastructure all over theworld.
Laurie (49:38):
Yeah, so these gold semiconductor chips will
probably start the next worldwar.
I noticed what you quoted, joeefforts to responsibly deploy AI
infrastructure, both in the U.
A.
E.
and globally.
Now, for some reason, thisreminds me of the book of
Genesis, which mentions that theGarden of Eden had all the
(50:01):
precious metals.
Consider this Trump wantsGreenland, right?
He wants it for its mineraldeposits, and its location is
perfect for a U.
S.
national defense, as we allhear.
So put two and two together andthis may be what gets the
Golden Dome started and up andrunning.
(50:23):
AI is going to be implemented inits production and operation,
and I see a connection here withthe old, ancient story of the
Tower of Babel.
We discussed that a littlewhile ago about it being a tower
that reaches the heavens, whichis what the Bible describes it
as.
But I wonder now if theBabylonians were creating a
(50:50):
communications tower or somedefense shield to protect them
from the outsideextraterrestrial threats that
they knew to them would havebeen their gods.
And well, we do see what Goddid to the people when he
descended, right, he took outtheir ability to communicate,
and there is even mention thathumans would eventually be a
(51:13):
serious threat to them, the gods, so they confused their
languages so that they could notcommunicate with each other.
It's perfect, it's a great planand it was implemented by these
so-called gods, theseextraterrestrials.
And in that Biblical story theword reach is used, so a tower
(51:34):
to reach the heavens.
Does that mean in height ordoes that mean in communication?
So could we have it wrong thisentire time?
Like what if reach was meant toreach out and to communicate
and control our world withcomputerization and artificial
intelligence trying to make aStargate to you know, was it
(52:00):
capable of forming a portal inspace-time, continuing making
rifts that allow forinstantaneous travel to some far
point in the universe, justlike in the movie Stargate?
Joe (52:14):
Yeah, and I've said this before about the Tower of Babel,
this before about the Tower ofBabel.
Why hasn't God or the gods comeand take out our ability to
build such tall standingstructures like what we see in
Dubai?
We don't know how tall thisTower of Babel was, no
dimensions are given.
It could not be as tall as BurjKhalifa in Dubai, which is like
(52:39):
what?
1,500 feet tall, like half amile tall.
It pretty much touches thestratosphere.
Whatever the Tower of Babel was, I'm thinking it was like a
ziggurat, which may have been, Idon't know, 50 to 80 feet tall,
and yet God was upset with thatbeing constructed because it
(53:00):
was getting too close to the sky.
Well, surely the skyscrapers wehave now are dwarf bats.
They're much taller than any ofthe ancient ones, and really
all of our modern buildings arenot even Burj Khalifa.
They're all tall.
And is it the height that upsethim in the Book of Genesis?
Or was it merely the ambitionto become as powerful and as
(53:21):
knowing as him through our ownmeans?
Either way, it seems that heshould have the same feeling
right now as he did back then,if not more so.
And does this mean that, ifthis Stargate project and the
Golden Dome begins, that we willstart to see the sentiment of
this verse being repeated, thatwe will start to see the
sentiment of this verse beingrepeated.
(53:42):
Will he or they return toscatter and confuse us once more
and set back the progress ofthe human race?
Now, you know, oddly enough,these ultra-modern and
futuristic-looking cities withthese tall buildings in the
Middle East.
Like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha,Riyadh, they're all in the close
proximity to where traditionholds that the Tower of Babel
(54:02):
would have been located theplain of Shinar in Mesopotamia,
in Iraq, the same geographicregion.
So it does kind of make youwonder, make you imagine, if all
that we're seeing in the worldright now, with politics and
technology, had already happenedonce before.
And could it once again happenand be a sign of what is going
(54:23):
on, being a sign of man's pridesuch that it makes someone up
there get ticked off and ithappens again.
Laurie (54:31):
I believe it.
All valid points, my friend.
Only time will tell, I guess,but nonetheless the story is
there in the Bible and alwayshas been.
It's telling about the divinepowers of heaven confounded
human ambition.
They don't like us united, itseems.
Either way, the Golden Dome,even the Iron Dome, are poised
(54:54):
to evolve further, integratingnew advancements in quantum
computing, hypersonic missileinterceptions and autonomous
systems.
It will be a beacon oftechnological achievement and
strategic foresight, and it justmight get the attention of
something outside of our world.
And it's not a question ofwhether it's built, but of when.
(55:19):
And if not under Trump, I'msure it will eventually happen
under someone else'sadministration, Because it is
combining cutting-edgeinnovation with practical
application and it provides arobust solution to these
contemporary defense challengesthat we are facing today,
temporary defense challengesthat we are facing today.
So, as missile technologiesevolve, projects like the Golden
(55:42):
Dome will remain indispensablein safeguarding nations and
promoting the global stabilityfrom threats inside our planet
and to those that may also becoming soon from outside our
planet.
Joe (55:57):
That's right, well said.
So that will end it for ustoday.
For the next time we join you,next month, we're going to talk
about something that we broughtup way back a few years ago, and
that is the concept of humanlaw.
Where did it come from?
Why is it so important?
Why do we hold it up as thehighest principle in our lives,
(56:21):
usually even higher thanreligion?
We all know about morality asit is impressed upon Western
culture not only throughJudeo-Christian tradition, but
also from secular origins,namely through the logic and
philosophy espoused byGreco-Roman thinking.
and over the centuries, notionshave developed that cover
(56:45):
things like universal law andnatural law, such that we
understand right and wrong asaxiological Right, meaning
morality, and the application ofit through our laws, is
something that transcends humancivilization in every part of
the world.
Laurie (56:57):
The teachings of our religions are what have
ultimately laid the foundationsto our legal and criminal
justice systems.
Could it be that thecommandments passed down to our
ancient ancestors from the gods,as they have said, it was our
really precepts, endowed to themby these extraterrestrial
(57:23):
intelligence?
Joe (57:25):
Yes.
So on our next episode we'regoing to take a closer look at
what is known as the Code ofHammurabi to see if there are
clues that perhaps what isreally preserved is a rule of
law bestowed upon a Babylonianking who says it came from the
heavens.
It came from the gods.
He says it himself in his text,the ancient text.
(57:46):
Is it possible that ourunderstanding of ethics,
legality and justice issomething that was taught to us
long ago by something or someonefrom beyond earth?
So we hope you will tune innext time as we ponder if indeed
our moral concepts of right andwrong, good and evil is derived
from what we might say is analien rule of law.
(58:08):
So until then, everyone, staysafe, stay cool, and always stay
curious.
Hello and thank you for joining us on Alien Talk Podcast
.
This is the show where wediscuss all things about aliens
and UFOs and, as always, wherewe push the limits of our
understanding about subjectsthat pertain to the existence of
extraterrestrial life, thepresence of UFOs and perhaps the
very meaning of our existencehere on our noble planet.
We explore the mysteries of thecosmos and the enshrouded
(00:24):
secrets of our planet's history,constantly pondering what is
out there in the far reaches ofspace and asking questions about
what our ancestors encounteredin all those wondrous and
revered stories from the distantpast and looking toward what is
in store for the future.
So over the last few months webegan spending a good bit of
time focusing on the ancientMiddle East and how its
(00:46):
mythology from there hasinfluenced much of the current
theories about humanity'sorigins.
Stories mainly from theSumerians in Mesopotamia that
are known today as Iraq havebeen closely studied and have
influenced the contemporarynotions about ancient aliens and
their technology, haveinfluenced the contemporary
notions about ancient aliens andtheir technology.
So today we're going to lookmore at the modern Middle East,
(01:08):
particularly with the country ofIsrael and the implementation
of vital high-tech militaryweapon systems, something that
has protected the region fromattack in unprecedented ways and
is known as the Iron Dome andNori.
We see that this is a prototypefor a similar defense
application for which our owngovernment has been pushing for
(01:29):
many years.
Laurie (01:31):
Yeah, that's right, Joe.
It is about something called theGolden Dome, and it has been a
major news topic this year.
It became a buzzword that got alot of attention throughout the
election coverage of 2024, as itwas called for as a part of
Project 2025.
So one of just many plansformulated by the conservative
(01:53):
think tank, The HeritageFoundation, and, of course, its
purpose is to bolster nationaldefense by ensuring that the
North American airspace isguarded from intrusion of enemy
ballistic missiles.
It relies on a complex networkof sensors, both ground-based
(02:14):
and space-based as well, thatdetect any movement of
threatening objects in the upperatmosphere, and an equally
complex array of missile launchsites set up to aim and destroy
them before striking a target inthe United States.
So President Trump signed theexecutive order back in January
(02:35):
of this year for the Departmentof Defense to begin a project
and to design and establish itbased off the system
implementation of Israel's IronDome, which has touted
successful performances since itwas first started in 2011.
And you know, we got to see alot of it in action here
(02:56):
recently with the Iranianattacks.
Some of the missiles gotthrough, but you know, for the
majority, the Iron Dome stilllived up to its name.
Joe (03:06):
Yeah, it formally went online in 2011.
It was tested quite a bit forabout at least 10 years before
that.
But yeah it was formally broughtinto the Israeli Defense Forces
arsenal in 2011.
And for those of you who are oldenough to remember the 80s, the
(03:27):
best decade ever, this soundsquite similar to Ronald Reagan's
Strategic Defense Initiative,which was nicknamed back then
Star Wars and sometimes that wasused in a mocking and in a
pejorative way and it seems tobe the same thing because it is
the same thing.
And it seems to be the samething because it is the same
(03:47):
thing, and just like the GoldenDome Missile Defense Project,
which is a highly sophisticatedsystem designed to plan advanced
protection against ballisticand hypersonic missile threats,
the Golden Dome is astate-of-the-art and
cutting-edge defense apparatusthat showcases innovation in our
military technology andnational defense operations, so
(04:09):
as to counter any modern warfarechallenges that we now face in
the 21st century.
The Golden Dome is a testamentto the advances in global
defense strategies, as well asthe Iron Dome, and's designed as
a multi-layered defense system.
It integrates cutting-edgeradar technologies,
(04:30):
precision-guided interceptorswhether they be missiles or
possibly other kinds of weaponsenergy weapons and it also
implements artificialintelligence to help track,
detect and neutralize anyincoming threats.
Laurie (04:46):
Yeah, exactly.
The primary objective of theGolden Dome, though, is to
safeguard strategic locations,civilian infrastructure and
military assets from any missileattacks, so it focuses on
neutralizing short, medium andlong-range missile attacks,
enhancing early warning systemsfor rapid response and
(05:08):
strengthening the nationalsecurity through technological
deterrence.
It employs sophisticated radarsystems that are capable of
detecting missile launcheswithin seconds.
I mean, these radars featurelong-range capabilities and
multi-target tracking andensuring comprehensive coverage
(05:29):
of everything.
The system utilizes highlymaneuverable interceptor
missiles very expensive too, bythe way, but they are equipped
with you know this kinetic killtechnology, and these missiles
are designed to strike incomingthreats accurately and therefore
(05:50):
minimizing collateral damage onthe ground.
Joe (05:54):
Yeah, now to be clear, there is a missile warning and
counterattack system in place atthis time, and there has been
since the 1950s, and it hasundergone multiple phases of
upgrade.
It's somewhat adequate.
Back in the 50s and 60s it wassomething known as the DEW line,
the Distant Early WarningSystem, and it was an array of
(06:18):
radars up in the Arctic Circle,Greenland and northern Canada
and Alaska, and it was meant todetect incoming ICBMs from the
Soviet Union.
It was not that great.
It did not give enoughnotification to bases in the
United States and NORAD beforethey can actually make a
decision.
By the time they reacted, itwas probably going to be too
(06:42):
late.
And that is the problem.
Is that these defensetechnologies that have been used
, even the one that we currentlyhave right now, it lags behind
a lot of the innovations inballistic missile technology.
For instance, there's acapability of deployment of
exo-atmospheric payloads that go, you know, almost into space,
(07:03):
and then there's also hypersonicthrust.
These are hypersonic missilesthat travel much, much faster
than they ever did in the past.
So, basically, the ability tostrike and attack seems to be
one or two steps ahead of theability to thwart the attack,
and so our defenses are hardlyfoolproof.
Also, it's important to makethe distinction between
(07:23):
detection and tracking, whichNORAD does fairly well, and also
between that and interdiction,which is a little more difficult
to achieve with desired results, that is, the ability to stop
the attack.
It's one thing to detect it,it's another thing to stop it,
and that has been seen numeroustimes, with a lot of unwanted
(07:43):
things entering our airspacewith virtually nothing to stop
it.
Just take that Chinese spyballoon from a few years ago.
Even though some people blameincompetence the previous Biden
administration for not doinganything to stop that sooner, as
it crossed the entire continent, it nonetheless illustrates how
problematic it is to shootthings down.
It nonetheless illustrates howproblematic it is to shoot
(08:05):
things down.
So this concept of the GoldenDome is that any threat will be
neutralized before it evenenters our skies.
And if they do get so far as tobe overhead, they will be
destroyed at a very highaltitude.
And the imagery of a dome isemployed to illustrate the
impenetrable barrier thatencapsulates the entire North
American continent, keeping anyand all missiles from reaching
(08:27):
their targets with the use ofanti-aircraft and anti-missile
missiles being fired.
The Iron Dome by the Israelisemploys batteries of movable
missile launch systems.
They can quickly redeploy theseto different sites that
optimize the positions so as toengage incoming attacks.
It's very flexible and AI doesplay a crucial role in its
(08:50):
operation, as it enhancesefficiency and reliability.
From predictive threat analysis, it essentially makes a lot of
calculations that turn andcoordinate a launch sequence for
maximum effectiveness, and thecommand and control systems are
able to make rapid adjustmentsthat turn and coordinate a
launch sequence for maximumeffectiveness, and the command
(09:11):
and control systems are able tomake rapid adjustments split
second based on up-to-the-minutesituational changes In other
words, it more or less makes itsown decisions Right, and it's
almost like Skynet.
Laurie (09:23):
Yeah, and the Golden Dome would work the same way,
just mainly covering a much,much larger area, of course,
that being the entire US andpossibly Canada, M exico, I
don't know, but Israel is asmall country with territory
(09:45):
that is about the size of NewJersey, but, as you can see, it
is much easier to coordinatedetection and counterattack
within an area that small asopposed to the whole continental
USA, which is hundreds of timeslarger and spans multiple time
zones and has varying degrees ofvulnerability, so the Golden
Dome is therefore much more of achallenge to implement.
(10:10):
It serves as a critical assetin modern military strategy,
though, and this is because itprovides a reliable shield
against the missile attacks.
So, it's an upgrade from whatwe have right now, and it
protects high-value targets andreduces the vulnerability during
(10:34):
conflicts and supportsdiplomatic efforts.
By offering a robust defensemechanism, it boosts morale
among civilians and gives themthat sense of security, I guess,
and the military personnel, sheshows that they are prepared,
(10:59):
and the whole idea for theprogram was conceptualized
during the first TrumpAdministration in response to
escalating missile attacksworldwide, and its development
involves collaboration amongleading defense contractors,
research institutions andgovernment agencies, and it has
(11:20):
undergone rigorous testing toensure operational readiness and
effectiveness.
Probably there's been a lot ofDemocrats that were in support
of it too, but the Golden DomeMissile Defense Project has, I
guess, revolutionized hownations approach these missile
threats, and its success hasinspired similar initiatives
(11:44):
globally, fostering innovationand international collaboration
in defense technologies.
And although highly effective,the Golden Dome does face
challenges, such, as you know,the evolving missile
technologies and these cyberthreats that we now have.
So continued investment in theresearch and development is very
(12:07):
essential to address these manyconcerns and ensure that the
system remains ahead of theseemerging threats.
This is similar to theStrategic Defense Initiative
under Ronald Reagan, whichbecame a turning point in the
geopolitical arena as it formedwithin part of a broader US
(12:28):
military buildup that eventuallybrought us out of the Cold War.
Ronald Reagan is oftenremembered for his profound
impact on foreign relations, andthat is probably most evident
with the U.
S.
S.
R.
, the dissolution of the WarsawPact and the eventual collapse
of the Iron Curtain in easternEurope.
(12:48):
For all its promising ambitions, the Star Wars plan was
scrapped, mainly due to theexorbitant cost estimates which
man.
They were as high as $630billion back in 1988.
So, that's equivalent toapproximately $1.5 trillion
today.
Joe (13:08):
Yeah, and it's also important to remember how fast
technology has moved forward inthe last 30 to 40 years.
Really! The Star Wars StrategicDefense Initiative is a little
obsolete in its plan making.
Missile design is better,computer control systems are
better, electroniccountermeasures are better and
(13:29):
AI is now a part of so manydifferent systems that must be
properly integrated into acomplex, multi-layered system,
meaning that it's a combinationof many different sensor and
weapons platforms that provide areliable shield against attacks
.
So, yeah, what he said, thewhole thing has been a
revolutionary idea and it doesgo back to the Reagan years.
(13:51):
It even entailed a plan ofusing high-power laser beams and
particle beams, these energyweapons that would be used to
destroy incoming attacks, so itwouldn't just be anti-missile
missiles.
So it was a big, complex,diverse array of things that
were implemented and part of theplan and some of these would be
(14:14):
from weaponized satellites,space stations in orbit that
would take aim from up there.
And, yeah, it kind of went awaythroughout the 90s.
We didn't hear much about itthrough the 2000s, but it all
reemerged a lot in 2018/ 2019,with the Trump White House
wanting to build a betterdefense system so as to shield
(14:35):
the civilian population frompossible attacks from countries
like Russia, iran or North Korea, and a National Defense
Authorization Act was signedback then, and then CI Director
Mike Pompeo called foradditional funding for what
would be a strategic defenseinitiative like a defense a
(14:57):
Strategic Defense I nitiative"2.0, essentially, and it went
to hiatus after the COVIDpandemic and the subsequent 2020
election.
However, it is now back, partlywith the passing of the latest
big, beautiful bill to make it apart of the military spending
agenda on missile defense.
(15:17):
So you know, this Iron Dome,Israel's groundbreaking system,
has become emblematic of modernwarfare innovation.
It was developed as a responseto frequent I mean thousands and
tens of thousands of rocketattacks that had targeted
Israeli civilian areas like TelAviv and Jerusalem mainly, and
(15:38):
it is really a tactical marvelas it's designed to intercept
short-range rockets.
As it's designed to interceptshort-range rockets, as that's
mostly where the rockets arecoming from, in places like
Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza,and it intercepts these rockets
and artillery shells, mortars,and since its deployment in 2011
, it has transformed thelandscape of missile defense
(16:01):
systems, providing security andstrategic advantages in conflict
zones, of which Israel and Gazaare kind of unique.
In how things are going, and inthe early 2000s, you know,
Israel faced recurrent threatsfrom rockets being launched by
these militant groups,particularly Hamas and Hezbollah
(16:22):
, and they resulted in mountingcasualties and disrupted daily
life in towns at the border ofGaza and Lebanon.
So, recognizing the urgency toprotect this population, the
Israeli government started toembark on the development of the
Iron Dome.
It looks like it went into itstesting phase, sort of its beta
(16:43):
phase, all the way back in 2006under the Israeli defense
company Rafale Advanced DefenseSystems, along with the American
contractor Raytheon.
Laurie (17:17):
Hmm, yeah Well, the Iron Dome radar detection and
tracking system, which providesthe early warning and identifies
the incoming missiles or anytype of threat that comes in
from the air.
The battle management andweapon control system analyze
trajectory and it calculatesinterception requirements.
(17:38):
The missile firing unitlaunches Tamir interceptor
missiles capable of neutralizingaerial threats.
The Iron Dome operates withremarkable efficiency and
precision.
It is designed to identify thetrajectory of incoming
projectiles and determinewhether they pose a danger to
(18:00):
populated areas or criticalinfrastructure, and if a threat
is confirmed, the system thenactivates and launches these
interceptor missiles to destroythe target in midair.
The system's success depends onits ability to discriminate
between the innocuous andhigh-risk projectiles, so this
(18:23):
ensures that resources are notwasted on rockets distant to
land, you know, harmlessly inopen areas.
They don't want to waste them,and the system's advanced radar
network and computer algorithmsallow it to make these
split-second decisions, whichhave proven viable or invaluable
during intense rocket barrages.
(18:45):
So it's very sophisticated andsince its first inception in
April of 2011, the Iron Dome hasconsistently demonstrated an
impressive success rate.
An impressive success rate.
Estimates suggest that itsinterception rate ranges from
(19:06):
85% to 90% for these incomingrockets targeting these
populated areas, and the systemhas been deployed in numerous
conflicts, including theOperation Pillar of Defense back
in 2012.
During this eight-day operation,the Ironome intercepted more
than 400 rockets, and then therewas an Operation Protective
(19:27):
Edge from 2014.
The system played a crucialrole there in intercepting
around 735 rockets out ofapproximately 4,500 that were
launched.
Of approximately 4,500 thatwere launched and in May of 2021
, conflict in one of the mostintense rounds of violence.
Over 1,500 rockets were firedinto Israel and the Iron Dome
(19:51):
intercepted hundreds, preventingextensive damage and casualties
.
So the Iron Dome's primaryachievement lies in its ability
to save lives.
With its deployment, civiliancasualties from rocket attacks
have significant decreased.
Before its existence, residentsin high-risk areas often had
(20:15):
limited means of protection,relying on shelters and sirens
to minimize harm.
To date, Iron Dome provides amuch-added layer of security,
giving civilians more time andassurance in the face of
incoming threats.
Joe (20:34):
Yeah, many of us remember during the Gulf War in 1991, how
the successful use of thePatriot missile batteries was
employed with nearly perfection.
They were able to take downalmost every SCUD missile that
was launched at U.
S.
bases in Saudi Arabia and inother areas of the Middle East.
(20:56):
And yet these missiles, Iremember, were sold to the
Israelis back then in the 90s.
It's still used in thesenetworks for the Iron Dome.
I think they've developed evenbetter systems that are part of
that.
So, it's the same idea.
Anybody's familiar with ananti-missile missile, which is
(21:16):
essentially you're shooting downa missile with another missile.
When you're talking about thisnetwork of an, an iron dome or a
golden dome, you're talkingabout, you know, not just one or
two batteries, but they're allover the place and they kind of
work in harmony.
And then the success of itdepends on its ability to
discriminate between innocuousand high-risk projectiles.
(21:39):
It almost has a mind of its own.
It knows where to launch andwhere not to launch, and where
to detect and where not todetect, and this ensures that
resources are not wasted onrockets.
Like you said, they're destinedto land harmlessly.
Let it hit the empty desert.
In the Gulf War that was thecase too.
A lot of SCUD missiles were noton a trajectory to anything
(22:00):
that was populated.
Was it going to go into anempty quadrant?
Let it go, and it does that byutilizing calculations from
advanced radar data and thesekinds of split-second decisions
computer algorithms to make, andit's been proven invaluable
during these rocket barrageswhich have been going on almost
(22:21):
nonstop in.
Israel for as long as I canremember.
And this program of the IronDome has allowed the Israeli
government to tout to the West agreat record of keeping
casualties and collateral damageon both sides down to a minimum
.
Despite all the barrages ofrockets, you don't really hear
often of great damage.
(22:42):
Yeah, there are casualties,there are deaths and there's
destruction, but not on a scalethat you would think I mean, for
you know 500,000 missilesbecause most of them do get shot
down.
So, beyond the physicalprotection, the Iron Dome has
bolstered a strategic posture.
Physical protection, the IronDome has bolstered a strategic
(23:04):
posture.
It reduces the success ofrockets sent by terrorists and
thereby diminishes their abilityto cause panic.
People are more confident thatwhatever is launched at their
country, it'll get knocked outof the sky, and this is a
psychological advantage thatstrengthens Israel's resilience
and demonstrates its commitmentto safeguarding its citizenry.
It's been used regularly in thelast two years against Hamas,
(23:27):
as we kind of pointed out, andmostly recently against the
country of Iran.
And despite its efficiency, it'snot without its challenges.
Among some of the notablelimitations of the Iron Dome is
the cost Each of the Tamirmissiles, the interceptor
missiles.
They cost tens of thousands ofdollars apiece Maintaining the
(23:50):
system for prolonged conflicts.
There're maintenance costs thatconstrain financial resources
as the Israeli military goesthrough thousands of them,
sources as the Israeli militarygoes through thousands of them.
There's this saturation risk.
While the Iron Dome can handlemultiple threats simultaneously,
it's not undefeatable Ifthere's a high saturation.
(24:17):
There's always kind of a fearof some of the military leaders,
both in the U.
S.
and Israel, that just a hugewave of rockets could overwhelm
the system, leading to some ofthem not being shot down.
And then there's alsotechnological advancements by
adversaries, as militant andterrorist groups develop their
own sophisticated weaponry,including drones and
precision-guided missiles.
The Iron Dome faces continuingand evolving threats, and they
(24:41):
have to keep up.
Laurie (24:43):
Yeah, and we saw that with these recent Iranian
attacks, where a lot of them, alot of the missiles did get
through, but for the most partthere were still not many
casualties.
But it's only going to make thisis only going to make the Iron
Dome even harder to penetratenow, because you know, when
(25:05):
something like this happens,where people start to die and
missiles get through, they onlystart making the, you know, the
missile defense system evenbetter.
So, the Iron, this Iron Dome,has captivated global attention
and everybody watches to seethis thing in action.
And it's inspired other nationsto explore similar technologies
(25:28):
.
And, of course, the U.
S.
and its success has highlightedthe importance of missile
defense systems in contemporarywarfare, the importance of
missile defense systems incontemporary warfare.
So countries like the UnitedStates have invested in
acquiring and adapting theelements of the Iron Dome for
(25:49):
their defense needs.
So, furthermore, the system hasfueled discussions on ethical
considerations in warfare aswell, raising questions about
asymmetry and balance ofdeterrence versus escalation.
While its deploymentdemonstrates technological
superiority, it also underlinesthe complexities of combating
(26:11):
non-state actors in denselypopulated regions.
Joe (26:17):
Yeah.
So as threats evolved, so mustthe Iron Dome, so must the U.
S.
military missile defensesystems, and Israel continues to
invest in enhancing thesesystem capabilities all the time
, integrating it with otherdefensive measures, something
called David's Swing and ArrowSystems.
Essentially, it's kind of acorollary or extension of the
(26:42):
Iron Dome.
It just refers to the moreinterdiction aspect of it is
improved missiles.
Research is going on to improvethis and adapt its features to
counter any emerging threats,like swarm drones.
Another part of the wholepackage hypersonic missiles, as
(27:02):
we mentioned, missiles that aremuch faster and move quickly.
When we're talking aboutsmaller regions of the world,
like the Middle East, it doesn'ttake long for a hypersonic
missile to get from Iran toIsrael just a matter of minutes.
So the time they have to reactfrom warning is very short and
that could be problematic.
(27:23):
Additionally, there are effortsbeing made to reduce these
costs, make accessibility moreincreased and ensure that the
Iron Dome remains sustainablefor short-term skirmishes and
prolonged conflicts.
And, like we said, artificialintelligence.
These innovations are expectedto refine their predictive
(27:43):
capabilities even further,making it a very formidable
shield against its adversaries.
Laurie (27:49):
Yeah, the Iron Dome is a .
It is truly a testament tohuman ingenuity and the
relentless pursuit of protectionin adversity.
The relentless pursuit ofprotection in adversity.
So it's.
I mean, I don't know whereIsrael would be today if they
didn't have this thing, the IronDome.
Its effectiveness inintercepting these threats have
(28:13):
saved countless lives andthey've reduced the civilian
trauma, and it's reshaped themilitary strategies.
While not without limitations,of course, it does remain a
cornerstone of Israel's defenseinfrastructure and its legacy
continues to inspireadvancements in missile defense
(28:33):
systems all around the world andas the world observes its
evolution.
That's why I say everybodykeeps tuning in to see this
thing in action, the Iron Dome.
It symbolizes how technologycan play a pivotal role in
safeguarding populations amidstthe complexities of today's
modern warfare.
Joe (28:55):
Yeah, and we believe that all of this the Iron Dome
technology it stems it has itsbeginning with the Star Wars
Strategic Defense Initiative,set forth by Reagan as it arose
during the heightened tensionsbetween the U.
S.
and the Soviet Union.
The Cold War had entered a newphase, with both superpowers
engaged in an unrelenting armsrace that involved nuclear
(29:18):
weapons.
Unrelenting arms race thatinvolved nuclear weapons.
Reagan was a staunch opponentto the doctrine of mutually
assured destruction, which heldthat the threat of complete
annihilation would deter bothsides from launching a first
strike.
This was kind of the policy andthe doctrine for a long time,
and Reagan sought a solution toreduce the reliance on just
(29:41):
hoping the enemy won't doanything because they're afraid
of us.
So, a lot of it is, you know,peace to strength.
That is a doctrine that is nowembraced today under the Trump
white house, but it alsoinvolves the ability to adapt
and then be flexible in comingup with new plans, and one of
(30:04):
them is a defense initiativewhich was set forth back all the
way in the 80s.
Laurie (30:11):
Well, it was on March 23rd 1983, that Reagan delivered
a landmark speech from the OvalOffice outlying his vision for
a sophisticated missile defensesystem, and he presented the SDI
as a means to.
You know, the Strategic DefenseInitiative as a means to render
(30:31):
nuclear weapons impotent andobsolete.
This vision includedspace-based laser weapons,
ground-based interceptors andadvanced radar systems designed
to detect and destroyintercontinental ballistic
missiles, icbms before theycould even reach their targets
on American soil.
(30:52):
That's what makes it so greatwith America living in the
middle, we have oceans betweenus, so it makes it a little bit
harder for them to send thosethings this way.
Joe (31:02):
Yeah, and skeptics in the media and in Capitol Hill coined
the nickname Star Wars, and itunderscored this futuristic and
science fiction-like nature tothe proposition.
At the heart of the StrategicDefense Initiative were
groundbreaking concepts thatsought to revolutionize defense,
(31:25):
such as space-based laserplatforms that was one of the
most ambitious componentsinvolved which deployed
high-energy laser systems aboardsatellites.
So shortly after launch, theselasers could intercept and
destroy ICBMs in their boostphase, meaning before they're
(31:46):
really kind of in that final arc.
Going up into the higheratmosphere, essentially within
minutes after being launched, iswhen they'd be destroyed,
giving us more time to utilize.
And it makes you wonder, you.
You wonder if all those SpaceXlaunches are just communication
satellites.
I mean, I'm sure they are, butit's kind of funny how, after
(32:07):
Elon Musk and SpaceX came onscene and that, president Trump
announced the creation of theSpace Force and the Golden Dome.
So I mean there's a lot ofmoving parts with this.
Possibly, you know, covertagendas and things like that.
And there's, we always knowthere's much more going on than
what meets the eyes.
I mean, that's no doubt We'vebeen knowing, we've known that
(32:30):
for our entire lives.
But I think people also forgetthat there was a time during the
Cold War when the threat ofnuclear annihilation was very
real.
I know our parents went throughit, you and I went through a
little bit of it until the ColdWar came to an end in the early
90s and some people say it neverdid end.
Some people say we're still init.
(32:51):
But you know the threat ofWorld War III where the Soviet
Union and the United Stateslaunch ICBMs at each other.
That was a big fear in people'sminds going back to the 50s and
60s, wouldn't you agree?
Laurie (33:08):
Oh, yeah, for sure.
Absolutely, many years ago.
I remember reading in themagazine Popular Science about
how the US had the technology toshoot down ICBMs as they lift
their launch pads, and I readthis in the 1990s.
The Strategic DefenseInitiative also envisioned
(33:32):
deploying interceptor missilesstationed on Earth, and these
would target enemy warheadsmid-flight, using the kinetic
energy or explosive technologyto destroy them.
Advanced tracking and radarsystems coordinate these
defensive measures, and the SDIrequired a network of advanced
(33:52):
satellite-based sensors andground-based radar installations
to detect and track incomingthreats accurately.
The announcement of theStrategic Defense Initiative
elicited a mix of support,skepticism and outright
opposition.
Proponents of the DefenseInitiative viewed it as a bold
(34:18):
step forward, ending the nucleararms race and safeguarding
American cities from thesepotential Soviet attacks.
Reagan supporters praised himfor his visionary leadership and
commitment to strengtheningnational defense.
However, there was skepticismfrom scientists, and many of
(34:40):
these scientists and defenseexperts doubted the feasibility
of the technologies underpinningthe whole defense initiative,
and they pointed out thesignificant technical challenges
and astronomical costs andpotential vulnerabilities of
such a system and potentialvulnerabilities of such a system
.
So the critics warned that theStrategic Defense Initiative
(35:05):
could spark a new arms race inspace.
Joe (35:09):
Yeah, and we saw that in the Reagan years.
The Soviet Union vehementlyopposed the whole thing, viewing
it as a direct threat to thestrategic balance of power
another geopolitical doctrine.
Back then, Mikhail Gorbachev,the Premier of the Soviet Union,
contemporary of Ronald Reagan,argued that the SDI would
(35:35):
undermine existing arms controlagreements and escalate tensions
, bringing us closer towardsWorld War III.
The Allies in Western Europealso expressed concerns about it
the program's potential todestabilize global security.
While the complete vision ofSDI was never realized, as far
as we know, it played a crucialrole in the Cold War diplomacy.
(35:55):
Even though it never came about, as far as we know, Reagan's
commitment to it placed immensepressure on the Soviet Union,
which was already strugglingwith economic stagnation, and
the Soviet leaders recognizedthat competing with the United
States to develop similarmissile defense technologies
would further drain theirresources.
Laurie (36:47):
Right, and many historians argue that the
defense initiative contributedto the Soviet Union's eventual a
move that was influenced inpart by the leverage of the
strategic defense initiativethat provided.
While the defense initiativedid not achieve its original
(37:07):
vision, it left a lasting impacton defense policy and
technological innovation.
Research conducted under theSDI paved the way for
advancements in missile defense,satellite technology and even
the laser systems.
Programs such as theground-based midcourse defense
(37:31):
system and the Aegis ballisticmissile defense system hold much
to the groundwork laid duringthe SDI era system hold much to
the groundwork laid during theSDI era.
Politically, SDI solidifiedReagan's reputation as a leader
unafraid to tackle theseambitious goals, and it also
(37:52):
underscored the United States'ability to project power not
only in terrestrial conflictsbut also in the emerging arena
of space.
Joe (38:02):
Yeah.
So the Star Wars programremains a defining moment in
Cold War history.
Any of us who were alive backin the 80s remember the whole
story, and it exemplified theintersection of politics,
technology and military strategywhen the world was grappling
with the existential threat ofnuclear warfare.
And while its technologies mayhave seemed fantastical at the
(38:27):
time, sti's underlying ambitionis to protect humanity from the
specter of nuclear annihilation,and that continues to resonate
today.
Even today In contemporarydiscussions about global
security, the weaponization ofspace, we're still under the
(38:48):
fear of there being alarge-scale world war and also
the fear of nuclear weaponsbeing used.
So even after Star Wars wasscrapped, a new plan was quickly
devised.
It was called Brilliant Pebbles.
That was proposed in 1987 byastrophysicists at the Livermore
(39:09):
National Laboratory inCalifornia, namely two men named
Lowell Wood and Edward Teller,and they had the idea of placing
satellites that would be manysatellites like, maybe hundreds
of them, and then they wouldorbit over Soviet Russia to
detect any launches.
So, we would get informationfrom you know, essentially the
(39:35):
part where they were gettinglaunched out in Siberia.
And these ICBM attacks wouldthen be neutralized with
high-energy particle beams whichwere being researched at a time
under an earlier program thatwas called Project Excalibur.
The idea was that they coulddestroy these ICBMs almost as
soon as they were launched outover the Soviet Union.
So, a few years later the ColdWar ended under President George
(39:57):
H.
W.
Bush, and with it, so didBrilliant Pebbles.
Laurie (40:03):
How did he come up with these names?
Joe (40:09):
That's kind of a cool name, but Brilliant Pebbles, yeah,
brilliant.
Laurie (40:13):
Pebbles, not so cool Starfish.
But in an article published byMSN.
C MSNcom, authors Bruce Enhornand Sana Pesankar noted that
even five years after itsformation, the U.
S.
Space Force is still trying toearn the respect it seeks,
(40:33):
despite ongoing jokes about itsStar Trek-style logo.
But many people don't evenunderstand.
The Space Force is real.
General Michael Guetlein, theagency's vice chief of space
operations, told the WashingtonArea Conference in March so this
was a luxury that we had whenspace wasn't contested.
(40:56):
We no longer enjoy that luxury.
Joe (41:00):
Yeah, and a little over a week after Guetlein made that
announcement, the administrationthen unveiled the president's
budget request, which includedroughly $26.3 billion for the
Space Force, which was down from$29.6 billion under former
President Joe Biden, which hesought last year in 2024.
(41:20):
So, as Congress moves forwardwith the budget process, these
figures and allocations for theSpace Force may still change.
And the highest-ranking officerin the Space Force, I don't
know his name off the top of myhead, but he has expressed
concerns that limited budgetsare impacting his capabilities
(41:41):
Quotes.
Despite the significant uptakeand space threats and the
growing importance of space overrecent budget cycles, the Space
Force has been faced withdecreasing resources, and this
is General Chance Saltzman,that's chief of space operations
.
I don't know if he is the fourstar, who?
heads the entire branch of themilitary space force, but he he
(42:05):
made that statement during theHouse subcommittee meeting back
on May 6th.
Laurie (42:11):
That is interesting what you said there, Joe.
It is a significant uptick inspace threats, so these threats
may very well be from China andRussia.
However, they could also befrom something extraterrestrial,
and I'm sure you guys wereprobably wondering when are you
guys going to get to the aliensand extraterrestrial stuff that
(42:33):
we do not yet know about?
Even I mean, we don't know,right?
Anyway, the article continuedby saying that as the budget
showdown heats up, he might findsupport from both sides of the
political spectrum.
At a hearing on May 20th, MaineSenator Angus King, an
independent who aligns withDemocrats, criticized the Space
(42:57):
Force's funding as completelyinadequate.
Meanwhile, Republican MikeRogers of the House Armed
Services Committee chairman,raised concerns about our
ability to fight and win inspace during a June 5th hearing,
warning that the upcomingbudget might not provide the
necessary funding for the SpaceForce.
(43:18):
And I mean the battle's foughtin space could be between humans
.
Maybe they could also be foughtagainst some extraterrestrial
force.
Like I said, we just don't know.
Joe (43:31):
Well, we recall, shortly after the Chinese spy balloon
entered our airspace I guessthat was in 2023, like in March
timeframe right after it wasdisabled and shot down off the
coast of South Carolina, theyhad these incursions of unknown
objects, that's what they justcalled them unknown objects,
kind of like around Minnesotaand Michigan, around the
(43:54):
Canadian border.
I haven't heard anything in thepress talk about this since then
.
It has not been made into abigger story as to what these
unknown objects were or fromwhere they came.
They just kind of let thatstory go and I'm kind of
surprised that the media didn'tdo a little more checking on
(44:15):
that, as the Department ofDefense is saying that they
engaged unknown objects, whichseems like a strange description
, strange language.
It says say they engaged anenemy aircraft or a foreign
national asset.
They're saying unknown objects,what's unknown about it?
So I'm hoping that at somepoint we'll hear more about what
(44:38):
exactly that was and if theytruly do know what it is, they
just want to not disclose to thepublic what it is, but it just
seemed like a strange way todescribe it.
I always thought that and I waskind of disappointed more
hasn't been discussed aboutthose unknown objects.
It was like within a week afterthe Chinese spy balloon was
(44:58):
shot down.
Laurie (45:00):
There's still nothing on it.
I think they're just waiting totry and cover up some story.
Joe (45:05):
It's like that in the world of politics and contemporary
matters the news it's a day'smove on.
That story gets some attentionfor maybe a day or two and the
next thing something elsehappens and the news is
happening at the speed of light.
These days, I mean, you knowwe're going to get out done with
this podcast and you know whoknows what breaking story is
(45:28):
awaiting us.
You know, uh, we have, you know, just moves at such a fast pace
.
I don't think some of these,you know, media organizations
can even keep up with it.
So, I think that's what it is.
And we don't even talk aboutthe spy balloon, that much.
I mean, you rarely hearanything said about that, and
that was a pretty big deal acouple of years ago.
(45:49):
So I don't know, I, you know,I'm sure there's a combination
of them trying to, you know,thwart disclosure on certain
things.
But I think it's also thefactor that the news media, you
know, toward disclosure oncertain things.
But I think it's also thefactor that the news media you
know Fox News and CNN, and youknow the legacy networks they
(46:09):
just can't keep up.
There's just too muchinformation coming, coming out
there everywhere all the time,especially with, you know, the
internet and social media.
But that article you weretalking about.
It also explained that thereare escalating tensions with
China that present an additionalopportunity to secure more
funding for the Space Force.
So, back in March, just beforehe was confirmed as the Air
(46:34):
Force Secretary, which includesoversight of the Space Force
Troy Meink cautioned the U.
S.
Senate Armed Service Committeethat the rapidly evolving threat
from China and he hademphasized that the Space Force
may need a significant increasein funding and personnel, making
it a larger organization.
(46:55):
So, as we address thischallenge, China has made
tremendous strides in theinternational space race.
I mean, I would say that theyare ahead of everybody.
That's just my opinion.
Laurie (47:08):
Yeah for sure, and I mean they even look like they're
starting to get ahead orcatching up to the US and the
naval area as well.
So but we must also rememberthat Reagan addressed the United
Nations and talked about thisoutside, extraterrestrial threat
that he believed might bewhat's needed to bring humanity
together.
(47:28):
You know, as we've seen in themovies, such as Independence Day
, I mean that's probably a goodthing.
If China's building up a strongmilitary and we are then we may
have to join forces one day.
So I mean we must ask didReagan and other presidents know
about something that's comingin the future that they took to
(47:52):
their graves with them?
And again, we just don't know.
Joe (47:57):
Right.
Well, here's something elsethat is in the recent
development.
It came from President Trump'srecent trip to the Middle East,
which brought about quite a fewdeals.
One of them is deal with theUnited Arab Emirates, the U.
A.
E.
, and I believe it was a dealfor about $500 billion, and it
involves the production ofsemiconductors.
(48:18):
And there is something referredto as the Stargate Project.
Does that ring a bell, stargate?
And in an article by the NewYork Post dated May 22, 2025,
it's titled Massive Stargate U.
A.
E.
Project to Launch in 2026,which I guess is next year, with
(48:40):
partners NVIDIA, OpenAI andOracle, and it states that the
Stargate U.
A.
E.
project is part of the dealbrokered by President Trump to
build the world's most expensiveset of AI data centers outside
of the United States, outside ofthe United States.
And the company said that theStargate U.
(49:03):
A.
E.
project will use GraceBlackwell GB300 systems,
currently the most advanced AIserver that the company NVIDIA
offers, and the CommerceDepartment oversees export
controls.
Has not said what will the saidbut replace last week that it
will convene a working groupbetween the U.
(49:24):
S.
and the U.
A.
E.
so that the project meets therobust security standards of the
U.
S.
and other efforts toresponsibly deploy AI
infrastructure all over theworld.
Laurie (49:38):
Yeah, so these gold semiconductor chips will
probably start the next worldwar.
I noticed what you quoted, joeefforts to responsibly deploy AI
infrastructure, both in the U.
A.
E.
and globally.
Now, for some reason, thisreminds me of the book of
Genesis, which mentions that theGarden of Eden had all the
(50:01):
precious metals.
Consider this Trump wantsGreenland, right?
He wants it for its mineraldeposits, and its location is
perfect for a U.
S.
national defense, as we allhear.
So put two and two together andthis may be what gets the
Golden Dome started and up andrunning.
(50:23):
AI is going to be implemented inits production and operation,
and I see a connection here withthe old, ancient story of the
Tower of Babel.
We discussed that a littlewhile ago about it being a tower
that reaches the heavens, whichis what the Bible describes it
as.
But I wonder now if theBabylonians were creating a
(50:50):
communications tower or somedefense shield to protect them
from the outsideextraterrestrial threats that
they knew to them would havebeen their gods.
And well, we do see what Goddid to the people when he
descended, right, he took outtheir ability to communicate,
and there is even mention thathumans would eventually be a
(51:13):
serious threat to them, the gods, so they confused their
languages so that they could notcommunicate with each other.
It's perfect, it's a great planand it was implemented by these
so-called gods, theseextraterrestrials.
And in that Biblical story theword reach is used, so a tower
(51:34):
to reach the heavens.
Does that mean in height ordoes that mean in communication?
So could we have it wrong thisentire time?
Like what if reach was meant toreach out and to communicate
and control our world withcomputerization and artificial
intelligence trying to make aStargate to you know, was it
(52:00):
capable of forming a portal inspace-time, continuing making
rifts that allow forinstantaneous travel to some far
point in the universe, justlike in the movie Stargate?
Joe (52:14):
Yeah, and I've said this before about the Tower of Babel,
this before about the Tower ofBabel.
Why hasn't God or the gods comeand take out our ability to
build such tall standingstructures like what we see in
Dubai?
We don't know how tall thisTower of Babel was, no
dimensions are given.
It could not be as tall as BurjKhalifa in Dubai, which is like
(52:39):
what?
1,500 feet tall, like half amile tall.
It pretty much touches thestratosphere.
Whatever the Tower of Babel was, I'm thinking it was like a
ziggurat, which may have been, Idon't know, 50 to 80 feet tall,
and yet God was upset with thatbeing constructed because it
(53:00):
was getting too close to the sky.
Well, surely the skyscrapers wehave now are dwarf bats.
They're much taller than any ofthe ancient ones, and really
all of our modern buildings arenot even Burj Khalifa.
They're all tall.
And is it the height that upsethim in the Book of Genesis?
Or was it merely the ambitionto become as powerful and as
(53:21):
knowing as him through our ownmeans?
Either way, it seems that heshould have the same feeling
right now as he did back then,if not more so.
And does this mean that, ifthis Stargate project and the
Golden Dome begins, that we willstart to see the sentiment of
this verse being repeated, thatwe will start to see the
sentiment of this verse beingrepeated.
(53:42):
Will he or they return toscatter and confuse us once more
and set back the progress ofthe human race?
Now, you know, oddly enough,these ultra-modern and
futuristic-looking cities withthese tall buildings in the
Middle East.
Like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha,Riyadh, they're all in the close
proximity to where traditionholds that the Tower of Babel
(54:02):
would have been located theplain of Shinar in Mesopotamia,
in Iraq, the same geographicregion.
So it does kind of make youwonder, make you imagine, if all
that we're seeing in the worldright now, with politics and
technology, had already happenedonce before.
And could it once again happenand be a sign of what is going
(54:23):
on, being a sign of man's pridesuch that it makes someone up
there get ticked off and ithappens again.
Laurie (54:31):
I believe it.
All valid points, my friend.
Only time will tell, I guess,but nonetheless the story is
there in the Bible and alwayshas been.
It's telling about the divinepowers of heaven confounded
human ambition.
They don't like us united, itseems.
Either way, the Golden Dome,even the Iron Dome, are poised
(54:54):
to evolve further, integratingnew advancements in quantum
computing, hypersonic missileinterceptions and autonomous
systems.
It will be a beacon oftechnological achievement and
strategic foresight, and it justmight get the attention of
something outside of our world.
And it's not a question ofwhether it's built, but of when.
(55:19):
And if not under Trump, I'msure it will eventually happen
under someone else'sadministration, Because it is
combining cutting-edgeinnovation with practical
application and it provides arobust solution to these
contemporary defense challengesthat we are facing today,
temporary defense challengesthat we are facing today.
So, as missile technologiesevolve, projects like the Golden
(55:42):
Dome will remain indispensablein safeguarding nations and
promoting the global stabilityfrom threats inside our planet
and to those that may also becoming soon from outside our
planet.
Joe (55:57):
That's right, well said.
So that will end it for ustoday.
For the next time we join you,next month, we're going to talk
about something that we broughtup way back a few years ago, and
that is the concept of humanlaw.
Where did it come from?
Why is it so important?
Why do we hold it up as thehighest principle in our lives,
(56:21):
usually even higher thanreligion?
We all know about morality asit is impressed upon Western
culture not only throughJudeo-Christian tradition, but
also from secular origins,namely through the logic and
philosophy espoused byGreco-Roman thinking.
and over the centuries, notionshave developed that cover
(56:45):
things like universal law andnatural law, such that we
understand right and wrong asaxiological Right, meaning
morality, and the application ofit through our laws, is
something that transcends humancivilization in every part of
the world.
Laurie (56:57):
The teachings of our religions are what have
ultimately laid the foundationsto our legal and criminal
justice systems.
Could it be that thecommandments passed down to our
ancient ancestors from the gods,as they have said, it was our
really precepts, endowed to themby these extraterrestrial
(57:23):
intelligence?
Joe (57:25):
Yes.
So on our next episode we'regoing to take a closer look at
what is known as the Code ofHammurabi to see if there are
clues that perhaps what isreally preserved is a rule of
law bestowed upon a Babylonianking who says it came from the
heavens.
It came from the gods.
He says it himself in his text,the ancient text.
(57:46):
Is it possible that ourunderstanding of ethics,
legality and justice issomething that was taught to us
long ago by something or someonefrom beyond earth?
So we hope you will tune innext time as we ponder if indeed
our moral concepts of right andwrong, good and evil is derived
from what we might say is analien rule of law.
(58:08):
So until then, everyone, staysafe, stay cool, and always stay
curious.
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