"What is left unsaid, however, is the serious erosion in the fleet surge capacity, in the event of strategic surprise (i.e., Pearl Harbor) when we no longer have a broad, deep, powerful industrial base."
But I've read over and over here, the invisible hand is guiding things. It's good for us to send our manufacturing jobs to India, and China.
Is it possible that there is something more important than my portfolio?
This is wrong wrong wrong. As we have seen time after time, for rapid response the only thing we can count on is our carriers, not fickle allies. Not to mention the focus a couple of Carrier Battle groups can bring to the enemies mind when they are put on station as an "attempt at diplomacy by other means".
We should have a real strong maritime policy, big Navy, big Marine corps, smaller heavy Army contingent. And I speak as a former Air Force officer so I have no axe to grind here.