https://reason.com/blog/2018/06/18/trump-announces-plans-for-a-space-force

As recently as February 2018, an audit of the Defense Logistics Agency obtained by Politico found that the agency-which functions as the military's supply arm-failed to account for as much as $800 million. In December 2016, it was revealed that the Defense Department buried an internal study finding $125 billion in administrative waste. (Then there's the money frittered away by the Defense Department on smaller scale boondoggles, like the $43 million compressed natural gas station we built in Afghanistan.)

Mattis argued that the Pentagon's priority should be focusing on getting its own shop in order before it goes about creating whole new branches.

Indeed, the idea of militarizing space with a brand-new Space Force departs from some positive noises the Trump administration has made about letting the private sector take the lead in space development.

In February, the Administration floated the idea of converting the International Space Station into a semi-private facility and zeroing out NASA funding for the station by 2025. The space agency has already saved big bucks partnering with private companies to resupply the station. Other private enterprises are getting ever closer to launching manned space flights.

The Trump Administration would do well to let these peaceful, private initiatives develop, as opposed to crowding them out by launching the government's most bloated bureaucracy into space.