From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Should the U.S. put weapons in outer space?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Late on a Friday afternoon before the long Columbus Day weekend, the White House released the first updated space policy in 10 years.

It was a stealthy move that brought a long simmering debate back into the open.

Should space be governed by international treaties?

Or should the U.S. seized the moment to preempt an arms race that's all but inevitable?

On to the point, the Bush administration insists that it's not advocating weapons in space,

but critics say the new policy is more belligerent than it should be.

Others complain that it's not aggressive enough to take advantage of American superiority while there's still time.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund,

whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. McArthur

Foundation. Hello again, Mormon-Aulney, back with To the Point. For the first time in 10 years,

the Bush administration has revised America's policy for outer space. On To the Point,

should the heavens be ruled by international treaty, or should the U.S. seize the moment to preempt

an inevitable arms race in space?

First, this news update, the southern Iraqi city of Amara was taken over by the Mati Army today.

At least 25 people were killed and 90 were wounded before the militia group handed control to Iraqi soldiers.

British soldiers are said to be standing by. Kirk Semple is in

Baghdad for the New York Times, and Kirk, good to have you on our program.

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