Time to Start Asking the Tough Questions on Defense
.By Miguel Alejandro LabordeMay 16, 2022
Fortunately for America, it now seems like we are fully emerging from the pandemic and things are finally starting to look normal again. Even in Washington D.C. – which was one of the holdout regions to remain under some degree of pandemic-related restriction – things are thankfully starting to hum again. This is both good and timely, because the country is facing serious concerns both at home and abroad, and policymakers in both Congress and the Administration are playing catch-up on several fronts.
One of the key areas of U.S. national policy that has suffered in this regard is the strength and health of our military. And for numerous pressing reasons, it is time for Congress to get back to business and start asking the tough questions on the state of our nation’s defense. Let’s face it, over the past two years, a lot of really important matters have been ignored, set aside, or pushed to the back-burner due to the pandemic. This has resulted in a notable lack of oversight, in-depth understanding, and detailed review of several defense programs and challenges facing the joint force. No service is immune to concern or attention – and the topics are many.
The Marine Corps is embarking on a radical transformation of the service which has generated serious concern and pushback from some of the most prominent and experienced leaders in the Marine Corps community. In the Navy, after two decades of disastrous collisions, chain of command and leadership issues, a corruption and bribery scandal, and the complete loss of the USS Bonhomme Richard, there are growing questions about everything from readiness and future fleet structure to training. Meanwhile, the Air Force is having to balance rising costs of new aircraft with its aging fleet – as well as contending with the rollout of the new Space Force.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2022/05/16/time_to_start_asking_the_tough_questions_on_defense_832462.html
