Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Obama: Fighting the Last War

The Obama Boyzzzz are fighting the last war (i.e., the Iraq/Afghanistan one).

Resulting in cancellation of the F-22. Not so smart.

As a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours, I could not help but take notice of the administration’s zeal last week in ending the F-22 Raptor program, which produces the most advanced strike fighter in the world. The F-22 is the only plane we have that is capable of penetrating deep into the most sophisticated, lethal air defenses in the world and destroying them. During the congressional debate, the F-22 was derided as a “relic of the Cold War” that has not been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Never mind that neither country has a sophisticated air defense, and that other potential adversaries do have sophisticated air defenses and fighter aircraft. Air dominance is as important to U.S. military doctrine as it has ever been. With the growing importance of unmanned Predator aircraft, which are vulnerable to enemy aircraft and surface-to-air missiles, air-dominance fighters are arguably more important than ever. --USAF Gen. Thos. Pinckney

What's to worry? Those Russkies and PRC-types, they're all busy buying USTreasuries, right?

HT: Southern Appeal

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like Gen. Pinckney had his toy taken away from him.

We used the friggin' U-2 spy plane over Russia for almost 40 years. I think they just decommisioned that dinosaur about 7 years ago. Yeah so it wasn't a fighter plane. The fact remains that we used a Cold War relic over enemy territory into the 21st century and this guy is telling you we have to worry about complex air defense systems?

Mute point anyway.....

Again, if we are launching airstrikes deep within the PRC or Russia, I can assure you that you have a LOT bigger problems than worrying about whether or not our new F-22 was worth the money.

Dad29 said...

we used a Cold War relic over enemy territory into the 21st century and this guy is telling you we have to worry about complex air defense systems?

And your point? The Russkis were doing the same to ua. However, there was no HOT war at the time.

Next.

Typical Fag said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
J. Strupp said...

My point is that this toy is a waste of time and resources that could be distributed elsewhere. The traditional, conventional wars of the 19th century are over. Any and all "hot" wars that pit major powers against one another will either destroy the world economy or destroy mankind. Whether or not we have the F-22 around during a "hot" war with Russia or China makes no difference. This fighter is yet one more reminder of our 19th century mentality when it comes to spending money on toys we don't need.

We can stop building big ass aircraft carriers too. Besides, we are running out of carrier names anyways since every Republican President since 1900 seems to be used up already.

Dad29 said...

The traditional, conventional wars of the 19th century are over. Any and all "hot" wars that pit major powers against one another will either destroy the world economy or destroy mankind.

If nothing else, you have certainty. Not necessarily the correct predictions, but certainty.

The first charge of the FedGov: "Provide for the common defense." All the rest is irrelevant.

But if you like countries w/o defense budgets, move to .....

Hmmmm. None come to mind, Josh.

J. Strupp said...

"But if you like countries w/o defense budgets, move to ....."

Not sure how you came up with the assumption that I don't advocate "defense" budgets because I think the F-22 is a joke.

Our percentage of total world "defense" spending dwarfs every country in the world and has for decades. The idea that we need to worry about the Russians or Chinese military is completely loony.


http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/policy/securityspending/articles/022609_fy10_topline_global_defense_spending/

Dad29 said...

We spend more on arms/defense because we allow the rest of the Free World to mooch on our spending.

By the way, Josh, you continue your Certainty Complex manifestations by declaring that 'Russki/PRC worriers are loony.'

Since I banned 3% of the population (the noisiest part) from commenting, adding you to the banned wouldn't be much burden.

Either argue from facts or ....bye!

J. Strupp said...

Dad29:

The Eurozone is the second biggest military spender in the world. Likewise, Saudi Arabia is one of the top spenders/GDP in the world in defense spending (over 8%/GDP). These are countries that I assume you are accusing of mooching off U.S. defense spending. I believe that most of these defense measures are built right here in America.

We spend more on our defense then the other top 14 spenders combined. Pardon me if you think I have a certainty complex. I call it drawing a sound conclusion based on information presented to me.

If you think I am part of the 3% of the goof balls that have been inputing baseless garbage on your site for the last week, ban me.

Dad29 said...

US defense spending (2009 est.) will be FOUR point NINE percent of GDP. (4.9%)

So far, you've ID'd the Saudis as greater than that number.

Any others?

Eurozone? Is that Western Europe? Eastern Europe? Some combination of the above?

And, by the way, what does the characteristics of one tactical aircraft have to do with overall D spending?

If the USAF thinks the F22 is worth building b/c it provides air superiority, who CARES what 'the Eurozone' spends?

And they are still leakers......