The Ofspry is result of the need for aircraft shown to us from the failed Iranian Hostage Extract fiasco…. Yet Democrats look only as Defense items on a “what is only predictable use” needs rather than preparing for situations/conflict one does not see as an obvious threat/need immediately. Defense related “needs” are not “slow build up” oriented any longer – if an rapid response war situation escalates quickly, in the smaller world and quick delivery weapons, we may not have the luxury of isolating an enemy for awhile while we “retool and build up” like old WWII mentality – build it when you need it. Today, if you don’t have it before you need it your enemy is going to killing/destroying.

If one of the looney, crazy with no regard for their own citizens lives or their own, do decide to go homicidal they can do far too much damage in a short period of time. UN resolutions are not going to stop the loonies from marching their troops and lobbing missiles if they really feel “compelled” by Religious calling or even lasp gasps at holding their country together by creating trumped up external threats and warfare.

For all the Liberals’ whining about armor in Iraq/Afghanistan – it was lack of fore-thought and preparation for the Urban, close-quarters, IED street to street battles, and Defense cuts every Democrat administration leaves behind for any/all incoming Republican administrations [Surrender Doctrine (Democrats ALWAYS cut/weaken U.S.Defense)] as part of the unintended consequences of their governance that could/should be seen – but they just don’t care to ever see it.

We need the newer more flexible operational platforms, not less. If an actual new bigger conflict should ever come we may need to toss aside some of the technology and go for mass production of lessor equipment just to be able to get numbers into the Theater – the point is to AVOID that tragedy of countless unnecessary American lives lost because we wouldn’t be prepared!

You have to prepare for every environment and climate! Platforms that perform “reasonable” under as much potetntial changing adverse conditions as possible. If something ever were to blow up to the point of spilling into Europe, the Nuclear arsenal will be pretty much useless – doubtful we will have ANY President that will make the Truman decision to use that kind of force to destroy another Nation to terminate a conflict.

And yes…. I very much wandered off from where I’m sure Moe ever expected this Diary to go. Jimmy Carter and the bufoons again in charge now got me wound up.

Khomeni would have died of a 9mm brain hemorhage in Paris. Instead, Carter gave the go ahead for Khomeni to return to Iran and the rest is history.

Somewhat in Carter’s defense: I lived in Georgia when Carter was Governor and knew him a little and knew his son Chip pretty well. Carter was a pretty effective reformist governor of a state that certainly needed reform in the early ’70s. Carter could only be called a liberal in the context of the antedeluvian politics of rural Georgia in those days. Those old enough will recall that “Jimmy” Carter was generally regarded as a rube by the NY/DC/LA elite and criticized viciously by the cool people. Nobody would have dared be as rude in those days as they are today, but he got about the same treatment by the elites that Sarah Palin gets by the standards of the day and for the same reason, Georgia just wasn’t one of the cool places.

I really believe that in response to his reception by the Beltway Elite, Carter became and remains obscessed with pleasing the liberal elites in the Country.

As to 5 & 6

Until Paetreus was put in charge in 2007, we stumbled badly in Iraq. Regime change is not the bunny hill. Kudos to Paetreus for leading a stunning reversal of fortunes.

When we weren’t winning in Iraq, how could Bush have plausibly confronted Iran or N. Korea with the big stick? That’s before considering the lack of will of the American people for those actions.

In baseball, 1 for 3 (or one hit and two sacrifices) ain’t bad. It’s a pretty good showing in regime change, too.

Had the Dems been in charge, we’d be 0-for-3. (Source: countless statements from the Dems up through 2007).

With Bush, our adversaries had to consider whether we had the bandwidth and capability to respond. With Obama, the presumption has to be that the will and backbone is not there, even if the bandwidth is there.

I’ll join you in calling Bush feckless for not defending his foreign policy and standing up the Left,