Isn’t that kind of like saying the corners of the Earth? In any case, apparently the LaGrange points suddenly have strategic importance. I usually avoid Slashdot, but this was just too ridiculous not to comment upon. Reading the headline, I was seriously thinking they meant strategic importance in terms of fighting aliens! Otherwise, these largely theoretical–that is, the actual physics makes them not quite as appealing as the sci-fi physics–points of orbital balance are so far away and so technically challenging to get mass to you might as well site a missile silo on the far side of the moon.

And if you read the journal referenced, the argument is awesome. What do they use as an example? The Falkland Islands! According to the article, Britain didn’t “need” the Falklands, but they went to war over it to protect national pride. This is why we need to “plant a flag” at the LaGrange points. So when our national sovereignty is challenged there (in what, 500 years?), we can fight a bogus war over it and regenerate patriotism? Brilliant bit of reasoning, that. Though you can sort of see the contemporary inspiration for the idea.

Um, can you sort of sense here the military-industrial complex urging us on toward perpetual war on the thinnest of justifications?