Here's an article "the F-35 fighter jet’s value is now on display" attempting to connect the absurd price tag (1,500 billion dollars) to the horrific land war in Europe. Except, regarding the important issue of the airplane being used in a war:
There is almost no conceivable scenario... It’s not even remotely a topic of open discussion because such an action would likely escalate the Ukrainian conflict and pilots would have to be trained on the complex aircraft.
Brilliant. Let's title an article something and then explain the exact opposite of the title is what's happening. Why?
Because the real benefit, as laid out for the entire rest of the article, is the American jobs created by the program... So, no use for it in wartime but jobs. Ooof.
Most of the support for the F-35 wasteful spending is related to jobs. 254,000 jobs. But of course we could employ those 254,000 people building rocket ships or bridges or stringing power lines. They're not doing those much more productive things. They're building a useless aircraft.
Shenanigans. What a great word. Lots of folks like to write about bilking gov't cheese related to Medicare fraud etc. but that's usually pennies. How does one steal $1.5 TRILLION from the U.S. taxpayer?
Step 1: Hire an army of lobbyists. At least 765 defense lobbyists are registered at a cost of $117 million.
Step 1a: Spread out your 1,400 subcontractors into 45 states and 307 congressional districts. That way, for just this one line item on the Pentagon budget, there are 307 members of congress who have constituents with livelihoods dependent on the gov't cheese.
That's it. An abominable, insulting, ear-wigging waste of money for a plane that won't fire a shot during a brutal land war in Europe.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/28/fort-worth-f-35-europe/
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@wildgrass saidYou ever notice, too, that they never
Here's an article "the F-35 fighter jet’s value is now on display" attempting to connect the absurd price tag (1,500 billion dollars) to the horrific land war in Europe. Except, regarding the important issue of the airplane being used in a war:
[quote]There is almost no conceivable scenario... It’s not even remotely a topic of open discussion because such an action would l ...[text shortened]... ring a brutal land war in Europe.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/28/fort-worth-f-35-europe/
come in' under budget, always' over budget.?'
03 Apr 22
@wildgrass saidNothing here to comment on. You are posting empty criticism unworthy of comment here.
Maybe ATY is on vacation?
04 Apr 22
@athousandyoung saidI'm just happy to hear you're finally on board. I mean, what kind of weapon that was so important and expensive would not even be under consideration to use during a war?
Nothing here to comment on. You are posting empty criticism unworthy of comment here.
04 Apr 22
@wildgrass saidNo country that runs F35s is at war in Ukraine.
I'm just happy to hear you're finally on board. I mean, what kind of weapon that was so important and expensive would not even be under consideration to use during a war?
04 Apr 22
@athousandyoung saidWhy's its value on display then?
No country that runs F35s is at war in Ukraine.
04 Apr 22
@wildgrass saidAsk the author of the article you quoted, not me.
Why's its value on display then?
04 Apr 22
@athousandyoung saidIt doesn't surprise you at all that the most expensive, most versatile, awesomest weapon ever isn't even under consideration to use here? I'd be suspicious that those tax dollars could have been spent on something helpful.
Ask the author of the article you quoted, not me.
04 Apr 22
@wildgrass saidWhich country do you think should be getting involved? Is it that you want the USA to attack Russia or what exactly are you suggesting?
It doesn't surprise you at all that the most expensive, most versatile, awesomest weapon ever isn't even under consideration to use here? I'd be suspicious that those tax dollars could have been spent on something helpful.
05 Apr 22
@athousandyoung saidI'm wondering why we pay 3 Rockefeller fortunes to build such weapons of war that don't seem to do anything useful during a war.
Which country do you think should be getting involved? Is it that you want the USA to attack Russia or what exactly are you suggesting?
05 Apr 22
@wildgrass saidWe're not at war!
I'm wondering why we pay 3 Rockefeller fortunes to build such weapons of war that don't seem to do anything useful during a war.
05 Apr 22
@athousandyoung saidThe world is providing Ukraine with enormous amounts of military assistance. Helicopters, boats, missiles, vehicles etc. We should spend our money on things that will actually help people in these kinds of situations....
We're not at war!
President Biden today announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine to $1 billion in just the past week, and a total of $2 billion since the start of the Biden Administration. The assistance will take the form of direct transfers of equipment from the Department of Defense to the Ukrainian military to help them defend their country against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion.
The new $800 million assistance package includes:
800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
2,000 Javelin, 1,000 light anti-armor weapons, and 6,000 AT-4 anti-armor systems;
100 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
100 grenade launchers, 5,000 rifles, 1,000 pistols, 400 machine guns, and 400 shotguns;
Over 20 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenade launcher and mortar rounds;
25,000 sets of body armor; and
25,000 helmets.
Five Mi-17 helicopters;
Three patrol boats;
Four counter-artillery and counter-unmanned aerial system tracking radars;
Four counter-mortar radar systems;
200 grenade launchers and ammunition;
200 shotguns and 200 machine guns;
Nearly 40 million rounds of small arms ammunition and over 1 million grenade, mortar, and artillery rounds;
70 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) and other vehicles;
Secure communications, electronic warfare detection systems, body armor, helmets, and other tactical gear;
Military medical equipment to support treatment and combat evacuation;
Explosive ordnance disposal and demining equipment; and
Satellite imagery and analysis capability.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/16/fact-sheet-on-u-s-security-assistance-for-ukraine/
05 Apr 22
@wildgrass saidThe USA already has that stuff.
The world is providing Ukraine with enormous amounts of military assistance. Helicopters, boats, missiles, vehicles etc. We should spend our money on things that will actually help people in these kinds of situations....
[quote]President Biden today announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total U.S. security assistance committed ...[text shortened]... .gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/16/fact-sheet-on-u-s-security-assistance-for-ukraine/
05 Apr 22
@athousandyoung saidHuh? We have F-35s and helicopters, but the helicopters are way more useful.
The USA already has that stuff.
I was thinking, though, they could be of some use. We could put a roof over hundreds of our homeless by allowing them to sleep in them. Or we could rent them out to billionaires for the day to subsidize the exorbitant price tag? Anything but letting them rust in a hangar for the next few decades.
Somethings gotta give ATY. A fleet of ferrari's for a bumper car ride. Unlimited military spending isn't practical.