Decision to Discontinue Destroyer Due in Part to Cost

The Associated Press reports today the Navy is ending its DDG-1000 Zumwalt destroyer program because of anti-ship missile vulnerability and because they can't afford the estimated $5 billion per ship.

Congressional investigators involved are concerned that the Navy tried to use too many technologies on the "stealth destroyer" designed to sneak near to the shore, undetected and pulverize its targets with massive guns. A planned 32 ships eventually dropped to seven as costs grew.

Instead the Navy plans to build nine more of its current Arleigh Burke destroyers, said Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday, a member of the Armed Services Committee.

The Navy's plans to expand its 313-ship fleet so even though it can't afford to keep the DDG-1000, it can't afford to stop building ships either, says Loren Thompson, a defense analyst with the Lexington Institute.

In addition to cost concerns, the DDG-1000 is vulnerable to attack when doing what it was designed for: coming close to shore to use 155-millimeter guns instead of missiles.

Finally, there is currently no threat that the DDG-1000 could be used for.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

In the Headlines Today

• Military surge in Iraq ends; 150,000 troops remain [USA Today]

• VA to advertise its suicide hot line program [AP via Newsvine]
  

• US soldier who deserted over Iraq is deported [The Guardian]

• Pentagon: U.S. may cut Iraq troop levels this fall [USA Today]

• More US troops may go to Afghanistan this year [AP via Newsvine]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Veterans Possibly Shortchanged Say Democrats

The AP is reporting that according to a new congressional report at least 28,283 vets may not have been paid money owed to them by the government because the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) were working frantically to clear a backlog of claims resulting from changes in the law allowing vets to claim both military retirement and disability at the same time.

This evaluation was carried out by the House Oversight and Government Reform's domestic policy subcommittee, headed by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio.

From the AP article:

In mid-2006, DFAS had hired Lockheed to help it work through the long list of cases. The government identified some 133,000 veterans who were eligible for money through its "VA Retro" program. The list quickly grew by another 84,000 names because newly retired veterans or those with a changed disability status were being added.

Officials finally cleared the backlog last June, seven months after the original deadline.

According to the House investigation, officials reached their goal only after lowering their standards. . .

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

In the Headlines

• Study: Military Gays Don't Undermine Unit Cohesion [ABC News]

• Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki demands US withdrawal timetable [Times Online]

• U.S. Military Mulls Iraq Troop Pullbacks [CBS News]

• The Iraq war movie: Military hopes to shape genre [LA Times]

• Soldier Made Famous By Photo Dies in Pinehurst [ThePilot.com]

• Pentagon aims for less deadly cluster bombs [AP via Newsvine]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Vet Group will Air Ads Touting Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

According to a report by the Associated Press Saturday, veteran group Vets for Freedom is launching a national ad campaign this week touting the troop buildup in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Vets for Freedom is spending $1.5 million on the ads that will first run on cable television nationally starting out in five states: Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Virginia.

The group also plans to send members to several swing states as part of a four-month education campaign that they plan on formally announcing Wednesday.

The article also mentions McCain and Obama. Vets for Freedom more or less seem to back McCain and criticize Obama for not visiting Iraq since 2006.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Two Stories to Check Out Today

• US, Poland agree on outline deal for missile bases [AP via Newsvine]

• Pentagon extends tour of 2,200 Marines in Afghanistan [USA Today]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

'Swift Boat' Vets Want to Reclaim Name

The term "Swift Boat" has become synonymous with nasty campaign smears. Today's New York Times has an article that basically states these Vietnam Veterans, who served on the type of boat pictured above (know as Patrol Craft Fast or Swift boats), want their good name back.

A little background from Wikipedia:

Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT), is a political group (527 group) of American Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy for the presidency.

Even some of the Vets who associated with the anti-Kerry group do not like what "Swift boat" has become (to mean.)

Swiftboats.org has a disclaimer on their site claiming no “express or implied” political ties.

Source: New York Times

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Political Reps Editorial Note

If you haven't been paying attention, haven't visited in a while or are new to the site, maybe you missed the new direction PoliticalReps.com is headed.

The blog is moving away from covering little noticed and overlooked political news items and towards exploring veteran and military related issues of a political nature, particularly those in the news.

Topics like the VA, the Pentagon and how congress interacts with two appear now regularly here.

Not much rhyme or reason to it other than, currently, this significant arena of American politics deserves added attention.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation