(February 28, 2008) Why shoot a satellite down? You are 1000 times more likely to get hit by lightning than by the toxic fuel in the dead satellite the U.S. shot down last week. Broadcasters worldwide speculated on the real reason - to keep enemies from getting their hands on secret technology; to display our missile prowess; to tweak China, which shot its own satellite down a year ago. China, now repentant, is joining Russia and the UN in a treaty to ban weapons from space, a treaty the Bush administration refuses to join. Americans are unaccustomed to thinking about treaties, but with a new U.S. president on the way, this may be one worth considering.

SOURCES: ABC News, NBC News, Fox News, CBS News, U.S.; Russia Today, Russia; Al Jazeera English, Qatar.

(February 28, 2008) Why shoot a satellite down? You are 1000 times more likely to get hit by lightning than by the toxic fuel in the dead satellite the U.S. shot down last week. Broadcasters worldwide speculated on the real reason - to keep enemies from getting their hands on secret technology; to display our missile prowess; to tweak China, which shot its own satellite down a year ago. China, now repentant, is joining Russia and the UN in a treaty to ban weapons from space, a treaty the Bush administration refuses to join. Americans are unaccustomed to thinking about treaties, but with a new U.S. president on the way, this may be one worth considering.

SOURCES: ABC News, NBC News, Fox News, CBS News, U.S.; Russia Today, Russia; Al Jazeera English, Qatar.