The Empty Suit is Turning NASA Into an Empty Shell

Obama's mandate to the head of NASA to use the space agency to make Muslims feel better about themselves is drawing fire from the former administrator:

The former head of NASA on Tuesday described as "deeply flawed" the idea that the space exploration agency's priority should be outreach to Muslim countries, after current Administrator Charles Bolden made that assertion in an interview last month.

"NASA ... represents the best of America. Its purpose is not to inspire Muslims or any other cultural entity," Michael Griffin, who served as NASA administrator during the latter half of the Bush administration, told FoxNews.com.

Bolden created a firestorm after telling Al Jazeera last month that President Obama told him before he took the job that he wanted him to do three things: inspire children to learn math and science, expand international relationships and "perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science ... and math and engineering."

Officials from the White House and NASA on Tuesday stood by Bolden's statement that part of his mission is to improve relations with Muslim countries -- though NASA backed off the claim that such international diplomacy is Bolden's "foremost" responsibility.

Griffin said Tuesday that collaboration with other countries, including Muslim nations, is welcome and should be encouraged -- but that it would be a mistake to prioritize that over NASA's "fundamental mission" of space exploration.

"If by doing great things, people are inspired, well then that's wonderful," Griffin said. "If you get it in the wrong order ... it becomes an empty shell."

Griffin added: "That is exactly what is in danger of happening."

He also said that while welcome, Muslim-nation cooperation is not vital for U.S. advancements in space exploration.

"There is no technology they have that we need," Griffin said.

I love that last line.  The Islamic Golden Age of science and math occurred between the 8th and 13th centuries - 800 years ago.

Since then...bupkis.

If they feel bad about themselves it's their own fault.  NASA is not the official self-esteem agency of the Muslim world.  They can cheer themselves up.

As a little kid I remember watching TV before school and seeing the early Mercury and Gemini missions.  I was alive to see the first American launched into space riding American equipment.  I'd hate to think that I'm also going to see the LAST American launched into space riding American equipment.  Following next February's Shuttle launch Americans will have to hitch rides with other countries if they want to get into space.

That's just wrong.