I honestly think a space race to Mars is a huge waste of time and effort. Literally the only reason to establish a colony on Mars right now is research, and that can be performed cheaper by robots.
I think the Moon would be a much better prospect. Lunar regolith can be refined into silicon, oxygen, iron, alumnium, and other metals. With hydrogen and a few other key metals imported from Earth, the Moon could become the center of space manufacturing for satellites, spacecraft, and other products that require an ultra-clean environment during manufacturing.
If a space war means putting mass into LEO/GEO is much more expensive because of armoring, mining the moon for resources becomes that much more appealing - especially considering it costs 1/20th the fuel to put an object in LEO from the Moon than from the Earth.
I think the Moon would be a much better prospect. Lunar regolith can be refined into silicon, oxygen, iron, alumnium, and other metals. With hydrogen and a few other key metals imported from Earth, the Moon could become the center of space manufacturing for satellites, spacecraft, and other products that require an ultra-clean environment during manufacturing.
If a space war means putting mass into LEO/GEO is much more expensive because of armoring, mining the moon for resources becomes that much more appealing - especially considering it costs 1/20th the fuel to put an object in LEO from the Moon than from the Earth.