On Jun 6, 4:48*am, "Roger Long" wrote:
"Dennis Pogson" wrote



Is this another case of the CG simply taking the view that "it's only
$300,000, let the insurers pick up the tab"?

Now that the CG is nearly as overstretched and underfunded as the rest of
the military, and deprived of proper equipment by the the hidiously corrupt
supply contractor / procurement system that sees everything as a money
siphon from the taxpayers and cares not one whit for the safety or security
of the nation, they have not unreasonably adopted an unwritten policy that
their job is to save people; not toys.

Sad state of affairs indeed with the Deepwater rip-off. How many
millions were wasted on the buckling boats? Causing a ahortage of
cutter all around the USA. No doubt costing many many tax paying
mariners thier vessels and lives.

I did hear they just took delivery of a new 400 + ft high endurance
cutter. They will use it tracking drug runners most likely and forget
about American mariners.


*After all, there is only so much
they can do.

You bet, and with fuel now 4 bucks a gallon you should never expect a
tow unless your close by and lucky.

*If I were out there risking my life on an aging cutter or
aircraft looking at a toy boat owned by the kind of fat cat that deprived me
of the proper equipment to do my job and keep me safe to be alive to do it,
hell, I'd let the damn thing sink too.

I would not. Perhaps it's time to create a homeland Security Navy and
get the USCG back to helping American's in need.


*I know that not all, in fact very
few, sailors actually fit into this category but, if I were on of those
dedicated and courageous and dedicated people out there who had been waiting
for new equipment and had been following the Deepwater fiasco, it would be
an easy attitude to slip into.

Damn sure would be. But what a guys yacht compared to the 100 million
+ dollars put in the legacy cutters that are now heading to the scrap
pile? Or 112 million speny on a un-needed tilt roter UAV no one wants?
70 million for dock upgrades for the Eagle, 110 for the USDCG R&D
center ect.ect..ect... 24 Billion and only one cutter has hit the
seas,

Now the airforce just fired it's leaders over gross incompentancy I
think it's time to do the same in the USCG.

*It's also the only rational prioritization
response at the command structure level to the task / resources ratio forced
on them.

They can put fuel bills on credit cards and never pay the bills,
whats another couple 100 million in dept?

Why is it that the conservatives who get so worked up about private
lifestyle issues and taxes never seem to get very exercised about the
massive theft that is military procurement or the fact that the soldiers
they put "Support our Troops" bumper stickers on their cars about are in
Iraq without proper body armor or mine resistant vehicles? * More than
enough money to supply all that stuff disappeared into the companies run by
Cheney's chums. *Twice as much of our money was spent to give the USCG the
equipment they need and they didn't get so much as a usable RIB out of it.

The USCG has shifted to far from it mission to protect American
assets and lives.

The motto is to be always ready, well ask for a tow as see just how
ready they are.


People mindlessly repeat the propaganda they have been fed by talk radio
about the democrats social programs but, follow the money and where it has
actually been going. *It's been going everywhere but where it needs to go
and most of it ending up in China.

Bull, The Chinese could cut a 100 ft boat in half and add 23 ft
without totally ****ing up the boat so bad that it has to be scrapped.
They are so afraid of the boats they will not sell them surplus with
the defects for fear of lawsuits. **** even a stupid coon ass like Bob
with a pencil and napkin could draft up a better plan to alter a boat.

Fred



--
Roger Long