Posted on 05/05/2008 6:22:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
History dictates that protecting and maintaining a nation's industrial base is critical to its national security and to winning wars. This is why taking out an enemy's manufacturing infrastructure, as America did to Germany and Japan during World War II, is the first step in rendering it defenseless.
Yet today in America, despite the menace of terrorism and threats from assorted despots around the globe, we are neglecting — and in some cases damaging — our own military industrial base.
America has shed 3 million manufacturing jobs since 2001, many in our military supply chain. The average age of today's factory worker is 54, and 58% of all U.S. aerospace workers are over 45.
Nationwide, officials in defense companies are expressing concern that they will not be able to replace current workers as they retire.
As we lose infrastructure and skilled labor necessary to supply our military swiftly with U.S.-made equipment, we are becoming increasingly reliant on military components and materials from foreign countries.
Chinese Bullets
Although several congressional acts require the Pentagon to purchase equipment and supplies from domestic sources, the Government Accountability Office repeatedly reports "systemic supply system deficiencies" in nearly all military supply categories.
Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne says, "I worry about the industrial base of the future," and the Pentagon has developed a Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Materials Shortages system to identify domestic material and manufacturing scarcities.
When ammunition procurement budgets were cut dramatically in the 1990s, many domestic suppliers were forced out of business. Defense officials began looking to foreign sources — including China — for bullets and missile propellant.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...
Many here will offer input on the country’s manufacturing base with little actual knowledge. Kinda like the Friedman thing you’ve got going on.
ah . . . never worked for a defense firm, though, but I did try
So ... I guess it's safe to say you didn't really read the article.
Those multi-billion dollar weapon systems aint building themselves.
ping
Apparently you don’t understand the distinction between industrial capacity and money spent.
Yeah whatever.
Did you mean Thomas Friedman rather than Milton?
Yes, but it seems that knowledge is often inversely proportional to high self esteem. So a lack of knowledge has proven to be no hindrance to posturing and boasting on the economy threads.
Didn’t think of that possibility. He might be.
With al due respect, six years in manufacturing is nothing. I have been in it for almost thirty and from the ground up to owning my own business now.
To make a solid tradesmen in the industry takes between 10 and 15 years...toolmaker, precision machinists, process engineers all require years of training and learning.
This is something our country does not value, if it did we would not have rolled over and given it to the Chicoms.
Please don’t talked to me about entry level or distribution positions for they are not manufacturing jobs, they are desk jockey positions.
Become a degreed ME or EE or seasoned Cnc Porgrammer or a quality assurance manager...you would find out real fast how much trouble we are truley in.
I never said it was, but it is still six years more than most. Long enough to observe that—in my specific industry, between oppressive taxation and regulation laws, labor and environmental laws, and the nuts trying to ram even more down our throats, it was a surprise my company was #1.
..his truth and greatness become more apparent over time...
And the GOP’s ignorance becomes more glaring with each passing day.
I knew the GOP was headed down that path, but I really didn't see what was coming for the Dems--I am pleasantly surprised...
We could not fight a world war like we did in the 40’s. To many of our potential enemies are suppliers, and we don't have the industrial base to pick up the slack.
We are just waiting for our version of the Goths to come sack the Capital.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.