In typical pentagon fashion the top brass released an x-rated statement on the retirement of Pat Schroeder, member of the armed services committee in the house. In the printable portion of their statement they referred to her as the single most effective force in undermining combat readiness. What a tribute! Lest one get hysterical about these "soft on defense" liberals consider the source. Disregarding the laughable implication that we are actually at any risk of an open military attack by an identifiable foe, consider the how much readiness would be required if not for the following: 1) Our military is the defacto goon squad for multinational investors who PREFER investments in autocratic nations with zilch in the way of protection for human rights and the environment. 2) Our 95 billion dollar weapons budget is a defacto arms factory subsidized by taxpayer monies for the very same autocrats listed above. Let's be realistic about this - the single biggest risk factor to the safety of our troops is our severely dysfunctional foreign policy and not high minded legislators like Pat Schroeder. Clinton AND Dole are pledged to continue this ridiculous policy. They may be wimps when it comes to standing up for the broad based constituencies which misguidedly support their parties, but they're tigers when it comes to standing up for big money. The pentagon roundly deserves a big raspberry for their action.
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11/1/96