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UFOs must be investigated, says former astronaut Sen. Mark Kelly
Is there life on Mars? When David Bowie asked that question half a century ago, he was speaking for more of us than just Ziggy Stardust. Today, the prospect of intelligent alien life in our universe continues to tantalize stargazers and lawmakers alike. In a wide-ranging interview on the future of the US Space program, Arizona Senator and former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly does not impatiently snicker at the mention of extraterrestrial life. Far from it. In fact, he says, we owe it to the brave military personnel who have seen inexplicable occurrences to investigate them as intensely as possible.
"I've seen some compelling testimony from navy fighter pilots who, in one case, in a position of leadership in a squadron have seen something very compelling. It's our obligation on the Armed Services Committee, to investigate it and put more resources behind studying this kind of phenomena."
Kelly, whose Senate office boasts a green inflatable alien mascot, is skeptical that intelligent life has visited us so far. But he also is smart enough to never say never. "I get these questions all the time. People think as I've been to space, maybe I have this special insight, or maybe I've seen something. While I've spent time orbiting the earth, I haven't."
Watch full episode: Mark Kelly on the new space race
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don''t miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
Philemon Yang, president of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, speaks at the opening of the UN General Assembly's 79th session at the UN headquarters on Sept. 10, 2024.
What to expect at UNGA
Every September, world leaders travel to UN headquarters in New York City for the start of the annual UNGA session.
UNGA — also known as the United Nations General Assembly — is the primary deliberative and policymaking body of the UN. In simpler terms, it’s a forum where the UN’s 193 member states gather to debate global problems and work toward solutions (with varying levels of success).
GZERO will be on the ground at UNGA, providing coverage on high-level meetings and big speeches from leaders set to begin on Sept. 24. We’ll also be giving you an inside look at the Summit of the Future — set for Sept. 22 and 23 — which UN Secretary-General António Guterres says is a once-in-a-generation chance to create more effective and inclusive institutions.
The general debate of UNGA — the high-profile gathering of world leaders — always has a theme. This year’s is: “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”
A rocky time for the world and the UN. The 79th session of UNGA comes at a precarious moment for the world, with major conflicts in multiple countries, democracy on the decline around the globe, and rising tensions between major powers.
As world leaders gather in New York, the wars raging in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan will be major topics, as will issues ranging from climate change to nuclear disarmament.
The UN has often appeared powerless in the face of such crises. The beginning of this year’s session offers an important opportunity for the UN to chart a new way forward and challenge critics who feel it’s a bloated, self-important, impotent institution. Along these lines, one of the issues on the agenda is whether to reform the UN Security Council — a key body focused on preserving peace around the world. This could include adding African countries as permanent members to the council.
There are currently five permanent members with veto power: Russia, China, France, the US, and Britain. The US has expressed support for expanding permanent membership to two African countries, and another seat to be rotated among small island developing states, but is opposed to offering any other countries veto power. The veto-wielding permanent members often use this power to block resolutions that are unfavorable to them or their allies.
As the debate over this develops in the days ahead, keep an eye out for our coverage. In the meantime, check out Ian Bremmer’s recent interview with Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the UN, Riyad Mansour, which dives into the challenges of representing Palestinians at the UN — a topic that we’ll also be watching closely at UNGA.
Palestinians have been given a seat among members at UNGA for the first time this year thanks to a resolution that passed in May granting Palestine “new rights and privileges.” That said, Palestine does not have a vote — it remains a non-member observer state and continues to push for full membership.
Why Canadians are tired of Justin Trudeau
Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week on World In :60.
Why is Mexico's judiciary overhaul controversial?
Main reason is it means the judiciary is going to be less independent and much more politicized. They're going to be elected, these judges. They're going to have shorter terms. They're going to be aligned with whoever happens to be in political power. That is the intention. That's why AMLO, outgoing president, wanted this judiciary reform to get done and not be changed. But not only does that undermine rule of law and means that his preferences, his party's preferences will likely also be that of the judiciary. But also, especially in a country where there are very, very strong gangs associated with drugs, any place where they have strong governance, they'll be able to also ensure that the judges are the ones that they want, and that is a horrible development for rule of law in a country whose democratic institutions frankly aren't very consolidated. So, it's a problem and it's going to hurt the Mexican economy, hurt the investment climate.
After losing another parliamentary seat, is Justin Trudeau's time as Canada's leader coming to an end?
Certainly. Sometimes you stay a little longer than your performance merits. This is certainly the case for Trudeau. The people are tired of him. They don't feel the country's heading in the right direction. Major problems in terms of inflation, especially real estate, housing costs, lack of availability of housing, and just people wanting something different. We've seen that all over the world with elections over the last year. We're going to see it in Canada in the coming months.
2.5 years in, and 1 million now dead or injured. Is Russia's invasion of Ukraine any closer to resolution?
I'd say it's closer to resolution insofar as the Ukrainians increasingly know that it's getting harder for them to field troops, to fight, to defend their territory. That's why the risk, the risky attack inside Russian territory, which they probably can't hold, but certainly has meant that they're going to lose more territory in Ukraine. Also, certainly you talk to NATO leaders, they understand that the time for negotiations, the time for trying to wrap up the war and freeze the conflict, a ceasefire, at least, if not a negotiated settlement is soon. So, I'd be surprised if the war is still going with the level of intensity in a year as it is right now, but the Ukrainians are not going to get their land back. And what that means and what kind of guarantees they get from the West, including security guarantees potentially, certainly Ukraine very hopeful for an actual formal NATO invitation, which they don't have at this point. That is the state of negotiations happening between the Ukrainians and others.
Ian Bremmer on Trump second assassination attempt
Now, it's not going to have much impact on the election, in part not just because so many unprecedented things get normalized these days in U.S. politics, but also because there's no video that suddenly... The last assassination attempt you had Trump literally escaping with his life less than a fraction of a second, and the blood on him and the rest. Here, the Secret Service did what they should have. They shot at the perpetrator well before Trump was in the sights of this would-be assassin. The U.S. did what it was supposed to, and he's in custody, so one assumes that we're going to learn a lot more about him as a consequence of the interrogations and the rest. Trump can and will fundraise on the back of it, but I'd be very surprised to see any movement in the polls as a consequence or any change in policy, so really not going to move the needle on the election itself.
And yet I think we have to ask ourselves, if Trump had actually been killed, can you imagine how much different the environment today would be? The political environment, the social environment, the violence, the reprisals. This is already considered to be an illegitimate election by a lot of Americans. Many, many Americans believe shouldn't be allowed to run because he's a convicted criminal. He was twice impeached, not convicted, but impeachment is broken as part of the political process. Many of Trump's supporters, a large majority, believe he should be president now, that he won the election in 2020, and that they're going to do everything possible–them, the deep state, the political opposition, the Democrats–to prevent him from becoming President again, to jail him, and even to call for violence against him. And that means that if we did have Trump assassinated, I think it would be much worse than January 6th in the U.S. It would be much worse, more saliently perhaps, than January 8th in Brazil, where you would have George Floyd-style riots, but larger and also much better armed.
A lot of people, including militias, but even Trump supporters in police forces in low-level positions in the military and National Guard that engage in protests that could easily become very violent, certainly in red states across the country. And I think that because it hasn't happened, even though it's been very close, we're not talking about it, we're not thinking about it. But the lack of resilience, the vulnerability, the frailty of U.S. political stability in this environment, I think is remarkable and deserves more focus, more attention because it would prioritize the steps that Americans need to take and political leaders need to take to rebuild that resilience, rebuild that trust, which is nowhere on the political agenda right now. I have to say, we have to give Trump and the GOP credit in the sense that they oppose all gun restrictions as a matter of policy, and that hasn't in any way changed even after both of these assassination attempts of Americans that are unhinged, that have access to these powerful weapons.
And that doesn't happen in other countries. That is a huge difference between the U.S. There's vastly more gun violence in America, not because there's so much more mental health issues, not because there's so much more economic inequality, but because there's so much less restrictions on assault-type weapons, on military-type weapons. The United States has more guns per capita than any country in the world except for Yemen, and Yemen is in the middle of a civil war. The United States is not, and yet there is no feasible capacity politically in the near term to do anything about that. No political will. Very relieved that this series of headlines does not include an actual assassination. Very relieved that former President Trump has survived this. Deeply concerned that it continues to happen. And of course, everything about U.S. politics promises you that you're going to see a lot more of it.
That's the state of play today and this election, and in the broader context that we talk about. So I hope everyone's well, and I'll talk to you all real soon.
Mark Kelly on the new space race
On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer delves into the modern space race and its role as a critical domain for global security with Arizona Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly. They discuss China’s growing ambitions, the future of the International Space Station, and the evolving role of private companies like SpaceX in shaping US space policy.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Kelly is clear-eyed about China’s ambitious space goals, including lunar missions and collaboration with Russia to build a lunar base, sparking concerns over the militarization of space. “They [China] just returned a sample from the backside of the moon. Nobody’s done that.” Senator Kelly also discusses the International Space Station’s eventual decommissioning and the importance of international cooperation, particularly with allies such as Europe, Canada, and Japan. Yet, tensions, especially with adversaries like China and Russia, loom large in the space domain.
“We’ve got to make sure that we can counter their capability, but also… prevent them from using space as a domain in any future conflict,” Kelly tells Bremmer. A key concern is how space assets, such as spy satellites and anti-satellite weapons, could be used in future conflicts. The conversation also touches on private-sector involvement in space, with companies like SpaceX playing pivotal roles in both space exploration and geopolitical issues, including the role of Starlink in the war in Ukraine. “I would hope that US companies… align with us and our values,” Kelly tells Bremmer.
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don''t miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
The new space race: Sen. Mark Kelly on China's bold ambitions, America's policy & Russian threat
Listen: On this episode of the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer takes a close look at the evolving US-China space race and its implications for global security, competition, and international collaboration. He is joined by Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut who offers firsthand insights into the future of US space policy.
Kelly also sheds light on China's ambitious space goals, including lunar missions and partnerships with Russia, raising concerns about the militarization of space. He emphasizes the need for the US to counter these developments and maintain space as a peaceful domain. Kelly discusses the eventual decommissioning of the International Space Station and highlights the importance of collaboration with allies like Europe, Canada, and Japan. The episode also covers the growing role of private companies like SpaceX, which are not only shaping space exploration but also playing crucial roles in geopolitical conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, through initiatives like Starlink.
Subscribe to the GZERO World Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.
Ian Explains: Who's winning the US-China space race?
Are we in a 21st-century space race with China? And if so, who’s winning? On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer breaks down China’s ambitious space program, which in the last few years has sent a rover to Mars, built a space station, and returned samples from the far side of the moon–something no country has done before. By 2035, it plans to build a lunar base with Russia on the moon’s south pole. However, intelligence experts are concerned China’s activity in space is more directly tied to its military than it’s letting on. A 1967 UN treaty bans military activity on the moon but not military activity in space altogether. The final frontier could be the next battleground. Can the US space program, boosted by private space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, counter China’s lunar ambitions? Is this the end of the post-Soviet era of international space cooperation? Ian Bremmer breaks down the astronomical stakes of the next era of space exploration.
Look for the full episode, with an interview with former astronaut Senator Mark Kelly on GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, airing on US public television (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don''t miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
Can the US stay ahead of Russia & China in the space race?
Should the United States be concerned about Chinese and Russian military activity in space? And is the US prepared for space warfare?
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) joined Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to talk about the future of US space policy and the 21st-century space race with Russia and China. Senator Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle commander, says that while the recent achievements of China’s space program are impressive, the US is still way ahead of China in any space endeavor. His main concern? Making sure we stay ahead of both Russia and China and prevent them from using space as a domain for future military conflict. Kelly also worries that, given Putin’s openness to violating international law, he may renege on the 1967 UN Space Treaty that prevents any country from using the moon for military purposes, officially ending the post-Soviet era of US-Russia space cooperation.
“Every space flight I went on, there were always Russians on board the space station. And that cooperation worked really well,” Kelly tells Bremmer, “What Putin did in Ukraine is indicative of, well, did that even matter?”
Look for the full interview with Senator Mark Kelly on GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, airing on US public television soon (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don''t miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
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