Starscream's alternate form is being discontinued soon if this guy has his way.

BBC NEWS | Americas | Gates unveils US defence budget

 

I like that the Secretary of Defense, who makes these decisions to a large degree, is "this guy."

 

o goody, that means when another attack on us soil happens, we won't have the firepower to fight back! can't have anything nice!!!

 

What the hell? 95,000 jobs are at stake if they stop building new F-22s? There's a joke about screwing in a lightbulb in there somewhere.

 

Yeah, it's a shame we don't have any other fighter planes or anything.

 

Boy, this thread gonna fail on so many levels.

 

 

I'd venture a guess to say all those jobs aren't directly related to the F-22 projects, but rather related to cutbacks the company would have to make if they weren't given the government contracts (aka money).

 

Nor will we have the F-35s that will be getting increased spending (per the article).

 

I understand they want more F35's and speedier boats. And it's not like they are going to dismantle the old ones, just not make new ones. Once the economy stablizes more they may make new planes.

 

I think you're probably spot on--hell, depending on who wrote the article, they might be arguing that the restaurants near the factories will have to close down, costing those jobs also, and so on and so on.

 

This is critical. Everything depends on whether or not Russia and China are continuing with the development of their versions of the Fifth Gen Fighters.

Russia and China showed very clearly recently that they are still sympathetic to North Korean government, as alarmist as it sounds. The arms war fueled on by the Cold War were never went away, and it will never end. Military superiority is not just symbolic. It keeps nations from attacking each other.

 

Starscream does not approve.



Rawr.

 

I have an idea. Why don't all of the countries in the world scrap their militaries? It sure would help the economy AND keep the peace.

And no, I'm not kidding.

 

Except it wouldn't accomplish either of those things. Or at least that's what history suggests.

 

Hahahahahaha

 

Good. Cold war level spending was both unnecessary and ******ed. However here it looks like they're just shifting spending; hopefully they can spend the money in a more useful way.

Thats no good dude. How are we going to fight off alien invaders from outer space without our jets and tanks? (it might be better than nothing)

 

Or the 187 F-22s that are still budgeted for, per the article.

 

Well, in retrospect, yeah, it's kinda easy to Monday morning quarterback our leadership and their decisions back then. But it's hard to argue that we went from a genuine belief that we were facing mutually assured destruction to a virtually bloodless conclusion to the Cold War.

I think there's a solid argument to be made that our spending levels then were a part of that.

Conversely, yeah, I agree that continuing them afterward was indeed unnecessary and...well, I'll pass on "******ed." But DoD funding was cut by something like a third towards the end of Bush I's Presidency.

 

Well, both sides realized pretty quickly that use of nukes would be their own death warrant. I have no idea at what point that became apparent though. Still cant help but feel that the spending was a waste. Oh well, on the plus side we got space exploration and quite a few modern technologies. Guess I shouldn't complain too much.