CNN WOLF BLITZER REPORTS December 10, 2004
Senator Speaks Out Over Top Secret Program
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: It's super secret and super expensive and has something to do with spying and space. It's also creating a lot of controversy. Let's turn to our national security correspondent David Ensor -- David.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATL. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's all of that and it's also an intriguing mystery. The mystery concerns a top secret multibillion dollar program which a knowledgeable source says involves a future potential type of satellite. This week a heated debate over the program burst into the open on the floor of the U.S. Senate with a key senator saying he'll fight to stop funds for a Bush administration program that he would not describe.
SEN. JOHN ROCKEFELLER (D), INTELLIGENCE CMTE.: My decision to take this somewhat unprecedented decision is based solely on my strenuous objection shared by many in our committee, to a particular major funding acquisition program that I believe is totally unjustified and very, very wasteful and dangerous to the national security.
ENSOR: Dangerous, aides explained, because it sucks up black budget money better spent elsewhere. Fellow Democrat Senator Ron Wyden said in a statement, quote, "the original justification for developing this technology has eroded in importance due to the changed practices and capabilities of our adversaries." There are a number of other programs in existence and in development, he said, whose capabilities can match those envisioned for this program at far less cost and technological risk.
Spy satellites act as both eyes and ears for U.S. intelligence. No one will say what the controversial program seeks to do, but outside experts say, possibilities include radar satellites to target a battlefield as planes and UAVs now do or stealthy spy satellites, designed to look to an adversary like space debris.
JOHN PIKE, DIRECTOR, GLOBALSECURITY.ORG: The challenge then is to make the signature of the satellite so small, that rather than looking like satellite the size of a city bus it looks like a small coke can sized space debris and blends in with the other 8,000 pieces of space junk out there.
ENSOR: Knowledgeable sources say the problem is the secret programs cost so much money that when you fund one, you block others. And that is why there is such sharp debate about a program that is shrouded in secrecy.
BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks very much for that report.
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