Congress is working to pass a defense spending budget of $612 billion. This expenditure is more than the next 10 nations added together. Marco Rubio claims that if he becomes our nation’s president, he would raise it to one trillion within 10 years. Nearly 50 percent of the funds awarded to the Pentagon end in waste. While the military brass continues to plan for a war with China or Russia, our soldiers had their collective asses kicked in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and most likely ISIS in the near future.

The Pentagon refuses to see reality. This new type of warfare does not require faster jet aircraft or larger tanks. This is beyond guerilla warfare. Tactics are ‘hit-and-run’ instead of a face-to-face conflict on the battlefield.

The F-35 fighter has become an embarrassment for all branches of the military. The aircraft was expected to receive modifications which would meet the needs of all four branches. Over the next several decades the Pentagon expects to receive 2,400 of the aircraft. The initial cost is expected to be $400 billion, but with maintenance and other costs the number will reach $1.5 trillion.

The problem is that it hasn’t passed a single test satisfactorily. In a simulated air battle it lost to the decades-old F-16. Just recently they found a crack in one of the fighter’s wings. In spite of failures, the military brass will continue with development and construction. And still some in Congress want to change and reduce social security and Medicare benefits.

Another apparently failure bound aircraft is under construction. The Air Force has ordered the construction of the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship. The total cost and number of the airplanes that have been ordered is not available.

While testing the aircraft, the flight crew lost control and damages resulting from the incident reached $115 million. The AC-130J had to be scrapped. A debate is underway to decide whether it was the fault of the crew or a design flaw. Construction continues.

The Pentagon may not be able to win wars any longer, but they can throw away taxpayer money.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage
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Photo Courtesy of William Warby

Author’s Page http://www.amazon.com/By-James-turnage/e/B00LOCJ2Z2