Procurement these days doesn’t seem to be an exact science where the best man wins. It should be, but it’s really hard to look at some of these winners over the last 20 years and not think “I guess they sent the better Christmas gifts to the decision makers”.

(Obviously this isn’t always the case and is an oversimplification)

“Not all of those have an important place in COIN warfare, yet nobody knows what the next war may be. Many things like the Army’s GCV program would be damn helpful in today’s wars too.”

Roger, that! Remember, we must all learn together! Perception, is reality, until we allow qualified input to change it to truth.….

“It may affront the military-minded person to suggest a reqime that does not maintain any military secrets.” — Albert Einstein

“So long as they don’t get violent, I want to let everyone say what they wish, for I myself have always said exactly what pleased me.” — Albert Einstein

“Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.“
Albert Einstein

This website’s accounting has been disputed or as some say — debunked. Many defense research projects under Clinton were moved from “Defense” spending to “Private Industry” research investment. A change in book keeping only. At the end of Clinton’s 8 years, he spent as much on the military as the top 5 administrations.

If you are going to look at the pennies on the tax payers’ dollars going to defense spending as a percentage– then you have to admit we spend most of our public funds on the military.

Is anyone looking at this ever creeping defense expenditure figure and ask if we are getting what we pay for? Is patriotism somehow commensurate with the amount of funds we spend on the defense industry?

No. It is decidedly not.

BTW the Peace Dividend was an initiative under Bush 41, not Clinton.

Daniel Russ
Civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com

Regardless we cannot and must not cut our capability to fight conventional wars and, God-forbid, nuclear conflicts. If we don’t take these opportunity to replace old designs now we will be kicking ourselves down the road.

Not all of those have an important place in COIN warfare, yet nobody knows what the next war may be. Many things like the Army’s GCV program would be damn helpful in today’s wars too.

We must never underestimate this great opportunity to communicate on issues pertaining to our national defense in such an open and timely format.

If you know about current joint doctrine than you know that high trust=high speed=low cost=high effectiveness.

QDR, UCAV’s, State Dept./DOD team tasking, etc..
are dynamic current and future concerns that
require our best efforts. BS in=BS out, we have no time for that!

Enemies of our state have always used distraction, deception and determination to try to obstruct initiatives in wartime and peace.

Keep the faith! Keep the focus!

You had it right! It was directed at the intented audience of ignorance, no the health care debate.

We are having a healthy debate as the American public discover more about the furtive House bills and the Obama administration’s plans to “reform” American healthcare & society. There is nothing seditious about questioning or disagreeing with “government plans” and the debate has nothing to do with race or Jim Crow. The Obama crowd and many in the MSM are using race as a ploy because the Dems are losing the debate on the issues…if you disagree with Obama on healthcare or energy policy then ipso facto you are a “Jim Crow” racist/Nazi?? Preposterous! Nice try Axelrod.

As to Obama and Defense issues…think President Obama has delegated Sec Gates trememdous latitude…suspect that Defense/foreign policy is not a strong suite or interest for the current POTUS (there was ZERO on his resume for foreign affairs & Chicago “community organizers” have a limited horizon on Defense issues). Seems that POTUS is leaving most DOD issues to Sec Gates…so, it may be a bit premature to hammer Obama on Defense as his barely nascent positions are still unclear.

The defense budget under Clinton went DOWN nearly every year (except for 1997 where it when back ‘up’ to ALMOST 1995 level down again in 1998 & then back ‘up’ to ALMOST 1991 level in 1999)! And did not reach 1990 levels until 2001. As a % of GDP the defense budget dropped from 5.2% in 1990 to 3.0% in 1999, 2000 & 2001. As a % of discretionary spending from 60% in 1990 to 48% in 2000.

ANYONE can go to http://www.gpoaccess.gov & ses the data for themselves. It is irrefutable.

http://www.optimist123.com/./photos/uncategorized/chart1.gif

Bill Clinton did not cut the overall budget. he moved things around but by the end of his second term he was one of the biggest spenders.

Daniel Russ
Civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com

PS– I agree with Chief Houston. I am so tired of the “Obama is a lefty socialist and hates the military” shit. It’s ignorant and doesn’t add much to the general discussion. This is a great blog because with the exception of a few nutcases, the discussions are intelligent and inciteful and funny.

That’s not correct. None of it is. We are spending more on the military than we ever have.

It is time for us to spend less on the military and perhaps get more at the same time.

Daniel Russ
Civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com

It seems that some of us do value the opportunity to exchange ideas in a rational manner. The interjection of P.R. blurbs from an organized assembly of attack hacks is so tiresome to read.

You might have heard but, CNN has set a new policy to not have any radio talk show hosts on their broadcast as reported yesterday, due to the anticipated responses that are not on topic.

Inflammatory B.S. is a cancer that has finally reached a level of destruction that teeters on sedition, much like the Nazi propagandists in the U.S. before Pearl Harbor. It reminds me of the beginning of the last century when, “Birth of a Nation” and Jim Crow laws were the rage and racist ideology got a new foothold to destroy the reconstruction, ante bellum efforts from the late 19th century.

There is one other element of technological advancement as a society and that is fear. The pace of increasing info to digest and discern causes anxiety for those forced to move outside of their comfort zone paradigm. It is much like a child’s reaction to the first day of kindergarten, some cry, some freeze and others run around looking at all the interesting things in their new environment. We must be the latter.

When it comes to the Army MGV is dead and now GCV is going nowhere, and we are still haven’t been able to upgrade from our M16s and M4s.

And of course the Navy has it’s problems DDG-1000 is pretty much DOA, and CGN(X)? No way that is going to funded, and just look at LCS. Naval aviation has some gaps in it too. The Navy is left without a fifth generation, twin-engined, “high end” fighter to complement the F-35C, and the Super Hornet is far from perfect. A true long range replacement for the A-6 and possibly S-3 is also wanted by some. And now once again we have people questioning the need of the USMC and suggesting we disband the whole force.

Gates “reforms” have accomplished nothing and now he seems to be demanding MRAPs be integrated into the GCV program which is completely idiotic.

The problem indeed is far being one of just money, but once the budget starts getting sliced for the sake of more Democrat vote-buying, it certainly won’t help matters. Nor does this administration’s effort of including other costs in the DoD budget to make it seem larger than the usable amount really is.

I don’t know what it is you are smoking &/or drinking but if you look at defense spending in inflation adjusted dollars &/or as a % of GDP (or of the federal budget) Obama is NOT spending more on defense. As a matter of fact, Obama is looking to be giving Clinton a run for the money for the President to spend the LEAST on defense! And at least Clinton can be given a break do to ‘inheriting’ the end of the cold war.

Hate to tell you but Obama is spending more in his first term on the defense budget than any president in history. Given the size of our military budget, it could be the most anyone has ever spend on the military ever.
BTW, the ad agency I used to work at has the USAF account. They just spent $35 million on an Air Force ad campaign…um…out of the stimulus bill.

Daniel Russ
Ciilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com