Posted by
The Big Mick on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 10:58:50 PM
It would appear the Golden Generals are running the credit card to the max. In an AP article by Richard Lardner, (any relation to Ring Lardner, for those who recognize that name, I wonder?) I read that Gates just had to smack down one of the Air Force Biggies for continuing to say "we need 380 some F22s" rather than the under 200 the Civilian Bosses are saying. And so the Golden General issues a non-retraction retraction in which he still doesn't back off his much larger figure.
Now don't get me wrong if the Air Force
needs something I
want the Generals to say so and to not back down. It's their responsibility not only to those under their command, but to the Republic. I have my doubts about this though. One is that the "golden hammer" and "silver toilet seat" stories continue to come out, as well as the fact these guys continue to slide right on over to the Industrial side of the procurement process and pull down big bucks for inferior products at inflated prices. I regard that as the lowest form of betrayal of one's troops and an act of Treason worthy of Death by Flamethrower.
I have noticed (thank the History Channel) that over the last couple of years, they do seem to be faster and smarter and things are getting improved and into production much faster. Better bombs for Afghanistan, better mine clearing vehicles for Iraq. And they are using much more "off the shelf" technology and saving money and time doing it. Some somebodies, somewhere, are doing it right.
This change was all on Rummy's Watch--n'est ce pas? And now?
Here come the Golden Generals saying "we just got to have this expensive toy, and we need lots more of em than Rummy was going to let us have."
Puts me in mind of several things. One was an interview on Fox, which was never repeated and the guest never returned, about how the really important thing about Rummy was how he was forcing change on the Cold War Configured Pentagon and revamping it into the Leaner, Meaner, Faster, Stealthier, More Capable fighting force for the 21st Century the Republic had to have. And it was working in spite of resistance from Old Cold Warriors defending their turf and golden parachutes in the Defense Industry. I remember one particular canceled project was this marvelous new artillery piece, that was too damn heavy to air lift!! Can you say "King Tiger Tank" monument to German stupidity in WWII? Too heavy to cross nearly every bridge to the Front? From what I see on Future Weapons they got an upgraded gun now that works just fine, thank you, is nice and light and capable and doesn't cost a fortune. Thank Rummy.
Then came all the beechin about how Rummy wouldn't listen to the Generals and was arrogant (that's what the loser in an intellectual fast draw contest usually says) and got it all wrong in Iraq. I said at the time that I smelled the smell of sour grapes. Rummy was gettin dissed by those whose pet Pigs he had barbequed.
SIDEBAR: This is one reason why I stopped paying any attention to Oh? Really? He sided with the Old Cold Warrior Tank Heavy Metal Heads still wargaming Fulda Gap (Soviet Invasion of Western Europe) and unable to make the grade in Rummy's New Special Forces /Lightfighters Lead Army. [SIDEBAR WITHIN SIDEBAR: Do you know we took Afghanistan away from the Taliban with a dozen Green Berets, an Air Force Combat Air Controller and about 200 Northern Alliance Fighters in Toyota Pick ups? And about a million tons of bombs, sure, but you get the point. Rummy was right, Afghanistan proved it. Something people might want to think about in evaluating his legacy and the reasoning that went into the Iraq Invasion "footprint". Thank the Military Channel again.] I think the Golden Generals Oh? Really? was shillin for were wrong. I think Rummy was right to want to "lower" the "footprint" initially. Remember that subsequently became a recommendation of The Mitchell Report or whatever in the heck it was. Now in the interest of fairness I had an ex-special forces trained Marine Colonel in my church, and he told me that Rummy was arrogant and wouldn't listen and the "large print" "overwhelming force", model was the right one. I trust his word and judgement and consider that Rummy may have been wrong and might be hard to convince, but I still say the evidence of Afghanistan shows he had reasons to believe his plan was a good one, and reasons to go "light."
By the way, the other reason I casually despise Oh? Really? is that he absolutely caved like crazy and spun like a top in his interview with
Charlie Hustler Pete Roe the lying, cheating, dirty playing, game throwing sonofabeech! I could have done a better interview than, Bull. Beginning with the simple question of "Since you have lied every time up to this moment, why should we believe you when you say you didn't throw games?" Bull didn't ask that. What he did throw was softball screwballs, if that's possible, that avoided any real tough questions for Charlie Hustler. What a wimp out! I'll never forgive him for that.
To resume, back to Rummy and The Golden Generals: So now Rummy is gone, and suddenly the Golden Generals are going behind the back of the Secretary of Defense. What does that tell you?
Don't get me wrong. I want our guys and gals to have the best stuff in the world (and if somebody else's stuff is better buy it or steal it), indeed the very best stuff possible to make. And I don't mind paying for that. In my Political Model for our Constitutional Republic--which I call The Marshal Dillon Model--I view it as not only the Primary, but very nearly the Singular legitimate purpose of Government to "provide for the common defense". Which means hanging horse thieves, foreign or domestic don't signify, as quickly, efficiently, and messily (this last "to encourage the others" not to steal--or indeed to mess with me and mine in any way) as possible.
But I don't want a dime going in the pocket of somebody who isn't willing to be at "the sharp end" with the stuff they produce and procure.
"Billions for Defense", but not one damn penny for "cost overruns"!
The Big Mick