SmartRemarks

On the matter of worthy military traditions, and (by implication) their opposite:

“Should any American soldier be so base and infamous as to injure any [prisoner]. . . I do most earnestly enjoin you to bring him to such severe and exemplary punishment as the enormity of the crime may require. Should it extend to death itself, it will not be disproportional to its guilt at such a time and in such a cause… for by such conduct they bring shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country.” 

– General George Washington, charge to the Northern Expeditionary Force, Sept. 14, 1775 

Just another quickie, passing along some cheery news that left my jaw hanging open. In a shocking reversal of standard bipartisan practice, Secretary of Defense Gates actually wants to scrap some overpriced, unneeded weapons systems. Talk about a move that’s long overdue!

From WaPo (complete with all of Dana Milbank’s melodramatic-yet-frivolous stylings):

“We will end production of the F-22 fighter,” Gates announced matter-of-factly in the hushed Pentagon briefing room yesterday, dispatching Lockheed Martin’s $140-million-a-pop aircraft without even a hint of regret. “For me,” he added, “it was not a close call.”

…But the understated delivery obscured the boldness of what Gates was attempting: Calmly and methodically, he posed a direct challenge to the military-industrial complex.

Boeing’s Future Combat Systems fighting vehicles — kaboom!

Lockheed’s multiple-kill vehicle: killed.

Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics’ DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer with Raytheon electronics? Gates sunk their battleship.

The Lockheed VH-71 presidential helicopter and Boeing’s C-17 cargo plane? SecDef shot them down, too.

He even wants to cut back on the use of private contractors and return to a focus on civil-service professionals!

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