Space Wars

WilliamB.ScottisaretiredRockyMountainbureauchiefforAviationWeek&SpaceTechnologymagazineandaformerU.S.AirForceflight-testengineer.HeservedwiththeNationalSecurityAgencyandasaircrewonnuclearsamplingmissions.MichaelJ.CoumatosisaformerU.S.Navytestpilot,theformerU.S.SpaceCommanddirectorofwargaming,andaformerNationalSecurityAgencycounterterrorismadviser.WiththehelpofbestsellingauthorWilliamJ.Birnes,theserenownedexpertshavejoinedforcestogrippinglydepicthowthefirsthoursofWorldWarIIImightplayoutintheyear2010.CoumatosandScotttakethereaderinsideU.S.StrategicCommand,wheretopmilitarycommanders,space-companyexecutives,andU.S.intelligenceexpertsareconductingaDEADSATSIIwargame,exploringhowthelossofcriticalsatellitescouldleadtonuclearwar.Thegamersdon'tknowthatthewartheyareplayinghasalreadybegun,milesabovethem,inthelifeless,silentcoldofspace.Jam-packedwiththeactualsystemsandsecrettechnologiestheUnitedStateshasorwillsoonfieldtoprotectitsassets,SpaceWarsdescribesanear-futurenuclearnightmarethatterroristswillrelishbutpoliticiansprefertoignore.Inaquieter,morepeacefultime,SpaceWarswouldbeanexcitingworkoffiction.ButwiththeUnitedStatesnowatwar,SpaceWarsisalltooreal.,