More on the Base Closure Dishonesty

Now that the last round of America's military self-mutilation (via the insane and out-of-control Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC process), the BRAC Committee itself has issued a final report accusing the Pentagon of overestimating the money that would be saved by the latest round of idiocy by some $30 Billion. Since the TOTAL estimated savings (which I believe were grossly inflated to begin with) were only $49 Billion OVER TWENTY YEARS, there really was not that much to be saved to begin with, when one considers that the ANNUAL Defense budget is over $300 Billion, which is less than 5% of our nation's GDP.

I think Rumsfeld is the Head Bean Counter over a bunch of other bean-counters in the Pentagon. He should know better than to close bases during wartime -- as should Bush.

What if we need to replace (from scratch) one of the larger bases we just closed. Can you IMAGINE how much it would cost to replace it? Clearing land, pouring twin 5,000-foot runways, erecting hangars and other facilities, installing fences and other security measures, purchasing computer equipment, etc? I don't think any one base could be built from scratch for less than $20-Billion -- which is, in effect, about all that this round of BRAC saved by closing, reducing, or realigning some 400 facilities.

Does this sound like a good deal to you?

A nod of respect to the Mudville Gazette.