"The overall point, though, is that coordination isn't nearly as hard as you were suggesting."
I've had some Operations Research training and I understand the complexities of train scheduling. I've also done some air defense work. Theoretically, you can do the coordinating. It's far more complex than it appears. Trains simply move where they're told. They are not hostile entities like a penetrating bomber force.
"Exactly! I'm sure you're as disgusted as I am by that!"
But I'm not disgusted. It was necessary in order to get the system working again. It was not a matter of scoring political points, it was a matter of reassuring the public. While it may have been inefficient, it worked.
"Private defense contractors would go out of business doing idiotic things like that."
Private contractors would have done something quite similar with just as large an investment of time and energy. There simply had to be a 'major show'.
Granted, I didn't claim it was easy. However, it's far from insurmountable. Which leaves you heavy-laden with your burden of proof: you claim that government is necessary to coordinate defense activity. You haven't offered your proof yet, but I await with interest. For my part, I only pointed out that difficult logistical problems have indeed been solved in the past, without the help of a central planning authority.
But I'm not disgusted. It was necessary in order to get the system working again.
You keep begging the question. Expensive, unproductive gestures that accomplish nothing were necessary? To get the "system" working "again"? Here too, I await your proof with interest. But I fear you're going to make some silly claim like, "Without lots of M16s, nobody would ever have flown in another plane."
Private contractors would have done something quite similar with just as large an investment of time and energy.
If I had your gift of prophecy, I'd be another Warren Buffett. You could be right, I spose. I'm only reasoning based on the fact that hugely expensive yet inefficient measures have a way of putting people out of business. The government has an ace in the hole, you see: even if it cost them trillions, they were free to raise taxes, print dollars or sell bonds to cover it. Private industry lacks that luxury.
Were I runing my own airline, instead of dozens of guys with big mean rifles, I'd put a handful of guys with pistols on each plane, and arm the sex stewardesses.