tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post116317485023314650..comments2023-11-03T09:36:22.100-04:00Comments on In From the Cold: One Term JimGeorge Smileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049707648660651119noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-1163207737404196822006-11-10T20:15:00.000-05:002006-11-10T20:15:00.000-05:00I am a Veteran of two tours in Vietnam who retired...I am a Veteran of two tours in Vietnam who retired after 36 years in the Defense Industrial Complex working on many of the weapons our boys use today.<BR/><BR/>If you are interested in a view of the inside of the Pentagon procurement process from Vietnam to Iraq please check this morning's posting at my blog:<BR/><BR/>http://www.rosecoveredglasses.blogspot.com/<BR/><BR/>The issues facing us today are much larger than Rumsfeld's departure.<BR/><BR/>The Pentagon is a giant,incredibly complex establishment,budgeted in excess of $500B per year. The Rumsfelds, the Adminisitrations and the Congresses come and go but the real machinery of policy and procurement keeps on grinding away, presenting the politicos who arrive with detail and alternatives slanted to perpetuate the machine.<BR/><BR/>How can any newcomer, be he a President, a Congressman or even the Sec. Def. to be - Mr. Gates- understand such complexity, particulary if heretofore he has not had the clearance to get the full details. Answer- he can't. Therefor he accepts the alternatives provided by the career establishment that never goes away and he hopes he makes the right choices. Or he is influenced by a lobbyist or two representing companies in his district or special interest groups. <BR/><BR/>From a practical standpoint, policy and war decisions are made far below the levels of the talking heads who take the heat or the credit for the results. <BR/><BR/>This situation is unfortunate but it is ablsolute fact. Take it from one who has been to war and worked in the establishment.<BR/><BR/>This giant policy making and war machine will eventually come apart and have to be put back together to operate smaller, leaner and on less fuel. But that won't happen unitil it hits a brick wall at high speed. <BR/><BR/>We will then have to run a Volkswagon instead of a Caddy and get along somehow. We better start practicing now and get off our high horse. Our golden aura in the world is beginning to dull from arrogance.RoseCovered Glasseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14959248140987830086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-1163204581241298272006-11-10T19:23:00.000-05:002006-11-10T19:23:00.000-05:00/rant onOh, Boy! burgeoning author H. Lewis Smith .../rant on<BR/><BR/>Oh, Boy! burgeoning author H. Lewis Smith has been on the...(drum roll, please!)...RAY-DI-O!<BR/><BR/>WOW! I am sooooo impressed! FM 98.3!<BR/><BR/>When will wanna-be authors learn that adverts in blog comments tend to p*ss people off, rather than get them recognized?<BR/><BR/>/rant offWanderlusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06552045133035246679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-1163200650482403872006-11-10T18:17:00.000-05:002006-11-10T18:17:00.000-05:00Let me just say that I find your postings very inf...Let me just say that I find your postings very informative. I think I linked to you from BlackFive a while back and have been reading you for a few weeks. Very good stuff - keep it up.Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18367515517697520756noreply@blogger.com