LCS overruns... again.

Strategypage discusses the cost overruns on the Littoral Combat Ship.

The decline of American shipbuilding is a serious matter. We're not talking about pizza pans or some consumer product to make life easier. Here, we are talking about the ships that makes the seas safe for the merchant vessels that carry out trade, some American, some from other countries.

That said, we do need to ask some hard questions of the Clinton Administration. Why did they set things on a path so that there was no choice but to retire dozens of Perry-class frigates, Spruance-class destroyers, and even some Los Angeles-class attack submarines? Why were some of the upgrades to the F-14 Tomcat never made? Why were so many production lines allowed to stop and vanish forever into history?

One of Rumsfeld's biggest mistakes was letting some of this continue. In some cases, it got worse with such things as down-grading the armament on those Perry-class frigates we were keeping. Quite frankly, given thehole he was in, he probably deserves credit for accomplishing all he did.

One thing should be clear in all of this: Elect a Democrat as President, and you get a hollow military that will take time to rebuild. Time that you may not have, as we leanred on September 11, 2001.

More on McCain's Macaca Moment...

I discuss McCain's macaca moment more at Strategypage. Read the whole column, and decide for yourself if McCain's comments were fair criticism, or just a cheap shot in an attempt to play to the audience.

Increasing the military...

Ed Morrissey discusses the plan to increase the military's size.

In one respect, this was a mistake by Don Rumsfeld. We needed at least four, preferably eight, more Army divisions. That said, we also had problems with a bureaucracy that has become way to slow for the 21st century - and Rummy perceived that to be the bigger problem. It was a problem, but Rumsfeld, in his push for transformation, forgot that quantity is also important.

The real issue will be whether this larger force is just for the Army and Marines, or if it will also go for the Navy and Air Force. If we keep the production lines going, the per-unit price for the F-22 will drop to about $117 million. Increasing the production of the Super Hornet, C-17, C-130J, and F-35 will do the same for the other stuff (you'll note that you always get good bargains at BJ's or Costco), like the Zumwalt-class destroyers.

An outrageous lawsuit...

That's all people really have to know about the ACLU's suit against Don Rumsfeld.

Never mind that the perpetrators have been tried and convicted. Never mind that the United States has clearly prohibited torture, the ACLU and Human Rights First have decided to go after Rumsfeld for fighting a war.

With this latest suit, it seems that they have gone beyond hamstringing the DOD and instead towards the personal destruction of prominent people in charge of fighting the war. I get the feeling that the ACLU would be sticking up for the SS guards at Dachau if they had the chance.

More on Gates...

It seems that the right has gone off half-cocked again. Big Lizards points to Michael Barone's discussion of SECDEF-designate Robert Gates's track record.

It would be comical if it had not already led to problems for the GOP. How much of the 2006 midterms loss was due to what was perceived as the right's unfair treatment of Harriet Miers (after they had demanded straight up-or-down votes on judicial nominees)?

It seems, that based on what Barone has found, Robert Gates is a good choice to fill the shoes of Don Rumsfeld... and Barone's last sentence explains why:

He is very much aware that we have dangerous enemies in the world, and he was willing over many years to confront them and try to check their advance.

I wonder whether Rumsfeld recommended Gates when he made the offer to resign that President Bush ultimately accepted. It would almost be a natural for Rummy to figure out why past resignations were not accepted.

Gates in for Rumsfeld...

President Bush has gone to the bullpen - after a very quality start to the war on terror, including a very heroic performance on 9/11.

Rumsfeld has been one of the best to have ever served as Secretary of Defense. He did so twice. This second time through was one of the more challenging times. On his watch as Secretary of Defense, three state sponsors of terror were taken off the board.

His treatment at the hands of the media and the Democrats is a black mark on both entities. The President's treatment at the hands of conservatives over this is also disgusting.

As for his successor, Robert Gates, I feel good. A lot of it is the complaints from Larry Johnson. I feel good. The war on terror may hit a more covert phase.