ASAT missiles are only suitable for low earth orbit, you’d need a rocket about the size of a falcon 9 to reach GEO where Intelsat was sitting. Think people might notice that. Wouldn’t need the satellite to be on a suicide mission, could just slap a gun on it like the good old days.
It’s a weird englishism and in this context they’re using “consider” to mean the same as “believe”, probably because saying “believe” implies it’s a more personal opinion than “consider”.