Some have suggested that it was really the secret capabilities of the satellite that the government wanted to protect.
Left intact, large parts of the satellite probably would have made it to the ground. A lot of other countries would love to get their hands on a US spy satellite optics so it makes strategic sense to destroy the satellite. Don't we destroy downed US helicopters in Iraq for the same reason? The fact that we get to show off our capablities is just icing on the cake. What I'm wondering is what capabilities is the US government still hiding from the bad guys.
However, I will go one better and say that this whole farce was probably planned from the start. What proof we have that it really was a top-secret satellite instead of a lump of junk? I think this was purposely put up in space to act as a target under the guise of "we have to protect earth from the hydrazine container".
I doubt it. There's a paper/person trail involved in making such a satellite. You'd have to make everyone involved kept silent and as all the CIA leaks to the New York Times show, they are blabbing secrets left and right. I think they saw a valid oppertunity and took it.
-Blast
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