[QUOTE=marki;480791
I am a little confused about the use of the term "we" in the posts below as clearly you are reffering to the US of which we are not a part
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Mark[/QUOTE]
If the US space program is scaled down 'we' all lose and vice versa. We're increasingly becoming citizens of the world and I like to minimize the barriers that separate people, including nationalism. Building a permanent presence on Mars is a grand idea that can excite and unite people and give them something to focus on other than the fictional enemies our politicians create for us.
I'd rather see the Chinese succeed than have nobody pushing out into space; I only hope they shift toward a fairer form of government at some stage.