Posted on 08/18/2002 12:01:00 PM PDT by hedgetrimmer
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:40:46 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
It's 1000 times a million bucks.......and a VERY substantial amount of taxpayer dollars.
"One donation to the UN by Ted Turner?"
This isn't about Turner. What that idiot does with his own money is his concern, not mine or yours. Taxpayer dollars, on the other hand........
"$2.7 million dollars per sailor, to make sure they can go on many missions, protect our country and come back alive?"
Think very, very carefully about what you wrote here. VERY carefully. "2.7 million dollars per sailor". We kicked the hell out of the Axis powers in WWII for a small fraction of that (yes, even in "adjusted dollars"). It's an outrageous sum, and to tie the dollar amount / sailor / airman / soldier to "ensure they come back alive" flies in the face of reality, logic, the modern military, and frankly, common sense.
"The people who lost loved ones at the world trade center are asking a trillon dollars to settle for the lives of 3000 people."
Well, hadn't heard that.......but if true, it's an obscene amount of money reflecting nothing but extreme greed........and it ain't gonna happen. It also has nothing to do with the cost of military gear.
"Don't you want our service people to have superior technology to the enemy? and come back alive when they are sent into harms way? I DO!"
Well, I'm a veteran.......a former aircraft commander in the Strategic Air Command. Of course I believe in our military being equipped with the best of the best, and of course I want 'em to "come home alive". I understand the value of good equipment............shoot, I was flying aircraft (KC-135's) that were darned near as old as I was (and I was born in the mid '50's).
This is about, literally, bang for the buck. For a single weapons platform to cost a billion dollars is just nuts. The B-2?? Former SAC Weenie and flaming hawk that I am, I'd cut that son of a gun in a heartbeat because of ITS ridiculous price tag.
We need to thoroughly examine what we buy, how we buy it, who builds it, and how they build it. Military procurement is a maze that is squarely designed to ensure the continued plundering of our national treasure by defense contractors. That is a fact. For the kind of money we spend on defense, we should have a military 3 times its size with gold-plated uniforms, each living in a mansion with servants and armed to the teeth with weaponry that would make Buck Rogers drool. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's the point of building a billion dollar plus "Future Floating Museum?" ...Besides, when you de-commission an aircraft carrier...at least you could hold go-cart races on the flight deck!
Navy Fact File: Destroyers.
Tin Can Sailors.
US Destroyers.
| Posted by American Preservative Aug 17 6:54 PM Hi All! Just wanted to tell you about my little "Support Our Troops and let 'em know about the USO Canteen at FR 'cause I'm so impressed with Jim (FR/Navy), Snow Bunny, Tonkin and the Canteen!" solo FReep today. : ) This morning on KSFO Radio, I heard that the U.S.S. McCampbell (guided missle destroyer) was in town (San Francisco) and was being commissioned today at Pier 32. The announcer also gave an address where people could send messages of support - U.S.S. McCampbell (DDG85), FPO AP 96672-1275. I found an article and posted here - See posts #8, #9, and #10. (I thought the event would be open to the public. Turns out it wasn't. See post #10.) I thought to myself it would be a great place to get the word out about FR and the USO Canteen thread. Although I know it would have been better to have fliers to hand out, I didn't have time, so I made up a medium-sized sign, and I said, "Thank you for serving! Visit the USO CANTEEN at FREEREPUBLIC.COM" and with a small American flag, I went down to the pier at 11 AM. I found out the public was not allowed at the ceremony, and by the time I got there, I had missed the people going in. On the way, I had seen some Navy personnel in the dress whites arriving via motorized cable cars. I decided to stay at the sidewalk and have my sign for the people to see at the end of the ceremony. The ship was a distance away, so I couldn't hear any of the ceremony, but, at two points I did hear "Anchors Aweigh" and the sound of what I believe was Madeline Albright's voice. (She is the sponsor of the U.S.S. McCampbell!) I learned from a sailor that the ship had begun its journey in Maine and they sailed around the Panama Canal to get here. In a few days they will be sailing to San Diego, their home port. "Relentless in battle" is the ship's motto (?). At one point, I could see the Navy personnel go up the gangplanks, and stand at attention, all in their dress whites on deck. It was a "wow" moment. : ) A coast guard helicopter was about. And a coast guard boat was cruising by. Several times an F-18 flew along side a small plane (someone said McCampbell had flown the small plane). That was near the ship, and quite a distance from where I was. At one point, the F-18 did swoop over nearby where I was. That was a big "WOW!" moment. : ) There was a mutiple-number gun salute. When people were leaving the area I held up my sign. Some people smiled. I chatted with a few. So, Snow Bunny, perhaps you'll have a few visitors to the Canteen. : ) (I read in the article at post #10 there were 4,000 people there! [Although, I don't think they all saw my sign. : )]) I stayed 'til about 2 PM. It was really nice. I hope some of the people will come to the Canteen. I think they'd like it. : ) So, that was my little venture for the day..... : ) Again, thank YOU Jim (did you see that little (pirate) ship at Treasure Island?), Snow Bunny, and Tonkin. It's tremendous what you do! : ) FRegards. |
Someone really ought to give the Bush Boy a talking-to. His own mother or wife could have done this job and given more honor to the ceremony than this lying sleaze.
Welcome to the land of the Davis-Bacon Act, better known as "prevailing wage". Increases the cost of government projects by something between 30% and 40%.
Your tax dollars at work.
Have a nice day - and don't forget to pay your taxes.
What's the over/under as to when she gets pregnant?
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.