I admit I just scanned the story but didn't see anything about the border. And the Pentagon is busy holding gay celebrations.
He put most of the blame on Congress for its inability to approve budgets on time or repeal a law that strictly limits defense spending.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Mattis said Congress has "sidelined itself from its active constitutional oversight role" by failing to deliver a steady stream of funding to pay for new weapons and other critical gear.
I find these quotes extremely offensive. He's giving a pass to the lack of leadership shown by military leaders advanced by Obama.
I never was allowed to use excuses when I was but a lowly platoon leader in 77-78. We were told to make do with what we had. Instead of using my jeep (to save fuel in August when our funding ran out), I'd follow a squad into a nearby field for training.
For two consecutive years, we basically shut down in August and September, for lack of funding. No one cut us any slack, particularly when the Group Commander made surprise visits to our motor pool on at least one Friday afternoon every quarter. Actually, I enjoyed it, as I was usually the only officer on site...everyone else was back at the barracks (10 miles away), working on their extra duties.
When I took over as maintenance officer (one of the worst jobs ever), I bought me a pair of overalls so I could climb under the vehicles to observe my mechanics. On one of those occasions, the Colonel popped in, and I was the only officer there. He didn't like it that I was in coveralls, though judging by his tone, he was engaging in "Colonel-speak".
"Sequestration" and "lack of funding" were two excuses he wouldn't have put up with.
