Things you might have missed in the MSM.

[flamin lib]

Things you might have missed while the mainstream media do 24/7 “the Democrats are self destructing”.

It looks like somebody is at last asking the same question I am, “How can the Pentagon spend $500 Billion a year, more than the rest the militaries of the world combined, and not win a war in a country that doesn’t have an army?” Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is urging the Pentagon to forego all the new toys and concentrate on the wars against insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan because it looks like this will be the pattern for future wars. The cost of the next-next generation Joint Strike Fighter is up to $685 an ounce which means we could save a few $ Million a copy by building them out of Sterling Silver. Instead Gates wants the Pentagon to concentrate on MRAPs (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles), improved body armor, better field conditions for the troops and the like.
Almost as in answer to Gates’ commentary the Russian Government rolled out it’s military hardware in Red Square for the first time since the end of the Cold War. In the annual Victory Parade celebrating the defeat of Germany the Russian military showed off it’s T70 tanks and mobile nuclear missile launch platforms complete with multiple warhead missiles. As I recall, within weeks of taking office Bush abrogated the nuclear non-proliferation treaty we’ve had with Russia for 40 years by announcing the deployment of Star Wars part Deux. Then President Putin responded by announcing he would MIRV Russia’s entire fleet of ICBMs. Now the new President Dmitry Medvedev has pledged to make Russia a world military power again. It’s amazing what seven years of mismanagement and ineptitude can do.
Speaking of ineptitude, Major Gen Kevin Berger was scheduled to display 20,000 pieces of Iranian ordinance captured in Iraq. Missiles, mortars and RPGs were laid out to prove the involvement of Iran in the insurgent fighting in Iraq. Only thing was that none of it was Iranian. Not one single piece could be identified by Military and Intelligence experts as Iranian. On the other hand if you google “iran weapons iraq” you’ll get a few thousand hits quoting the White House and Pentagon insisting that Iran is providing weapons and training to the insurgents. Not one single source that identifies a weapon as Iranian, but thousands of sources saying that’s where they’re coming from. Meanwhile McCain is singing “Bomb, bomb-bomb, bomb-bomb Iran.” Pay attention people, THEY ARE MAKING THIS STUFF UP!
Not only is Iran not providing weapons to the Iraqi insurgents but CNN reports that Iranian diplomats were instrumental in negotiating the cease fire between the Shiite Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and the Iraqi police forces. That’s right, even as the Bush administration sells the idea of attacking Iran, the evil Iranians are negotiating peace talks between the militias and Iraq government forces. Go figure.

Back stateside the Democrats in Congress are working to re-vamp veteran’s education benefits. The GI Bill passed after WWII is the most successful spending program ever passed in the United States. More successful even than Social Security. Every dollar spent on the education of returning vets was re-paid many times in increased income taxes from the money earned by Vets with advanced degrees. Over the years it has been reduced both by Republican cuts and erosion by inflation. The Democrats plan to increase it to the point that it will pay for a four year degree from the average state supported college. Not Ivy League but state supported schools. The Pentagon doesn’t like it because they’re afraid soldiers will leave the service to take advantage of it. John McCain, ever the champion of veterans, voted against it and George Bush vows to veto it. How in God’s name did Republicans get the reputation for being pro-military?
Finally a note on Texas politics. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is rumored to retire her senate seat to run for Governor. Should that happen about half a dozen local GOP legislators plan to run for her seat. State Senator Florence Shapiro has joined Reps. Kay Granger, Jeb Hensarling and Pete Sessions in expressing interest in KBH’s seat. This last weekend a spokesman for Joe Barton said that if the Republicans regain the majority (wishful thinking on his part) that he would remain in the House but if not he would be interested in running for the KBH’s senate seat. Any one of these would be a disaster. As bad as Kay is, she’s more moderate than most Republicans and certainly more moderate than any of the names mentioned.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/13/AR2008051301265.html?hpid=moreheadlines Sec Def Gates says to pentagon, “Stop fighting the last war . . .”

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gXioOMzrlU8hO3Hv0w6TFVvtvq7AD90I7DE80 Red Square

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/05/iraq-the-elusiv.html No Iranian weapons

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/31/iraq.main/index.html Iran promotes Cease Fire

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jvWovlqUaqkZ_IuMvNikChKnb0uwD90K6850A VA benefits

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/05/senate-2010-watch-barton.html Kay Bailey’s senate seat

[lonestarnot]

1. Mericans like fairy tales! Arg!