Matt Wuerker for November 17, 2018

The F-35 is the most expensive ever, was supposed to be cheaper than the failed F-22, and it’s a piece of junk too. They’re already talking of giving them to the Air Guard units, which is what happens to stuff obsolete for first line. Which the B-52 is still more reliable for completing missions than the B-1 (more than half in the Davis Montham boneyard) or B-2.

Ike was right…

“A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction…”

“This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

We have the world’s most expensive military, and its in the hands of idiots.

During WWII we had 1,260 generals with a ratio to enlisted men of 1:6,382Today we have 632 generals with a ratio of 1:1,260, a 5x increase!

Another interesting fact about todays generals, almost all if not all of them were too young to have served in Vietnam(Colin Powell may have been the last) and they were too senior to have been in actual combat in Iraq or Afghanistan; generals do not usually go out on patrol. I remember when Gen. Petraeus showed up with a chest full of ribbons and the press swooned over this great hero, only to read his bio and he had never been in combat only graduate school.

War is good for business. Invest your children.

You’d think they’d want to hire those two who ditched their $70 million F/A-18 Super Hornet in the Pacific earlier this week. Nothing helps the ol’ bottom line quite like replacement parts. It’s kinda like that Doritos commercial with Jay Leno: Go ahead and crash ‘em. We’ll make more.

Military people looking for advancement want wars and conflicts. It is very hard to rise in rank during peacetime.

Many of these “Pentagon Officials” were working for “Defense Contractors” before they retired..

We can still have the strongest and most lethal Military in the World for a fraction of what we are currently spending. The Military Industrial Complex that Eisenhower warned us about is driving this train and reaping obscene profits in the process.

With even half-way intelligent managment the “defense” budget could be cut by at least a third, leave us the most powerful military on Earth, and fund thousands of more decessary programs, like universal health care, and low tuition education (doesn’t need to be “free”).

That’s why the Pentagon hasn’t been able to pass an audit in decades. It is the biggest waste of taxpayer money, as well as being the most corrupt agency in the federal government.

This is why the Saudis who danced the sword dance with Donnie were smiling so broadly.

They’d bought another president.

Why get gold-plated, when you can have brass-plated?