BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

The Pentagon shipped missile parts to Taiwan in 2006 and were told of it last week.

The U.S. Defense Department accidentally shipped ballistic missile components to Taiwan, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

Four nose-cone fuses for intercontinental ballistic missiles were shipped instead of the helicopter batteries that Taiwan had requested, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said.

The fuses were shipped to Taiwan in fall 2006 and kept in a warehouse there. The Taiwanese military informed the United States last week about their presence on the island.

Two years ago?  And the Pentagon found out last week?

I’m certain it was an “accident” that these parts went to Taiwan.  The question is how many other parts have been shipped “accidentally” to some other places. 

The parts were for 1960’s style Minutemen missiles and are probably totally useless and outdated.  The fact remains that there is carelessness and negligence running rampant throughout our government agencies.  Since 9-11, national security has been on the front burner of every discussion in every sphere of government.  Yet, it seems more and more that the incompetent are managing the incapable.

Missile parts that probably costs hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars are accidentally shipped to a foreign country.  A few weeks ago, nuclear warheads were flown across the nation by error.  The Department of State, with all its precautionary measures to protect us against breaches of our privacy, only discovers breaches when questioned by a reporter.  FEMA delivers toxic trailers to citizens who are displaced by Katrina.  Those that were not delivered (apparently the abundance of waste) was left to sit on an Arkansas airstrip for years.  The FDA fails to inspect the facilities where our medicine is manufactured and people die.  The FBI goes above and beyond the scope of their provence in seeking information on citizens.  Immigrants are issued green cards in exchange for money or oral sex.   

And, yet the argument has been about terrorists making phone calls in and out of America… FISA.  Bush has spread fear among many, saying that our national security depends on his version of FISA being approved.  His Republican constituents spread the F-word (in this case “fear”) as if our total national security depends on FISA.

Excuse me for thinking this, but it occurs to me that left alone with the same incompetent leaders directing the incapable, we will self destruct.  The terrorists can sit back and relax for a while.  Maybe the Pentagon will send them something they can use.  It seems our own negligence and incompetence will eventually bring us to our knees.  But, what the heck!  Let’s go print some more $100’s for the banks.