Cold War quagmires?
The ISS - Shuttle duo.
Reagan built the ISS as a Cold War response to MIR. Cold War is over.
Shuttle was built as a low-cost, fast turn-around way into space. Hasn't happened in 25 years.
Seems to me there's nothing much for the ISS to do, and the only good reason for the Shuttle is to service it.
And, there's been way too much spent by too many countries for the US to abandon it. We're stuck.
Would absolutely love to be wrong on this. Anyone see any uses worth the costs?
Arf