The Slide To Third World Nation Status Continues

First we have North Korea's missile...er satellite launch, which was met by nothing more than semi-stern words and hand wringing.

Here's John Bolton's take on it:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123897547166291201.html

So far, therefore, the missile launch is an unambiguous win for North Korea. (Although not orbiting a satellite, all three rocket stages apparently fired, achieving Pyongyang's longest missile flight yet.) But the negative repercussions will extend far beyond Northeast Asia.

Iran has carefully scrutinized the Obama administration's every action, and Tehran's only conclusion can be: It is past time to torque up the pressure on this new crowd in Washington. Not only is Iran's back now covered by its friends Russia, China and others on the U.N. Security Council, but it sees an American president so ready to bend his knee for public favor in Europe that the mullahs' wish list for U.S. concessions will grow by the minute.

Israel must also be carefully considering how the U.S. watched North Korea rip through "the international community." The most important lesson the new government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should draw is: Look out for No. 1. If Israel isn't prepared to protect itself, including using military force, against Iran's nuclear weapons program, it certainly shouldn't be holding its breath for Mr. Obama to do anything.

Russia and China must also be relishing this outcome. They will have faced down Mr. Obama in his first real crisis, having provided Security Council cover for a criminal regime, and emerged unscathed. They will conclude that achieving their large agendas with the new administration can't be too hard. That conclusion may be unfair to the new American president; but it will surely color how Moscow and Beijing structure their policies and their diplomacy until proven otherwise. That alone is bad news for Washington and its allies.

Russia and China are ramping-up their aggressiveness and 'Cold War' rhetoric, Barkey is running around apologising, groveling and prostrating himself and by default, us, to every world leader that stands still long enough. And as if that wasn't enough we are going cancel or cut back on the very weapons systems we will need in the future to attack and defend against rogue nations like Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

Gates Calls for Cuts to High-Tech Weapons Programs

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/04/06/gates-calling-cuts-high-tech-weapons-programs/

In a move that won mixed reviews from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Gates said his $534 billion budget proposal represents a "fundamental overhaul" in defense acquisition and reflects a shift in priorities from fighting conventional wars to the newer threats U.S. forces face from insurgents in places such as Afghanistan.

Again we see the Pentagon planing on fighting the last war instead of the next one.

He called for production of the F-22 jet to stop at 187 jets. The U.S. military has 183 jets in service now, so just four more would be funded as part of the fiscal 2009 supplemental budget if President Obama approves the recommendations. The planes cost $140 million each.

Plans to build a shield to defend against missile attacks by rogue states would also be scaled back.

As I have stated before, once the F-22 production line is shutdown, if not restarted again within a year, it will be gone forever. Aircraft such as the A-10, F-15, are being grounded because of their age and flight hours. The F-22 is supposed to be the F-15's replacement, but as capable as it is, 187 of them can't replace 888 F-15s.

That leaves the F-35, not as capable as the F-22, it was meant to replace the F-16. They're looking to purchase 1763 for the Air Force, 480 for the Navy and 480 for the Marines.
We'll have to see what becomes of those numbers, especially after this report:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13639_3-10196641-42.html

The Department of Defense's $1 trillion-plus plan to build and deliver multiple versions of the Joint Strike Force (JSF) aircraft to multiple customers is behind schedule, over budget, and upside down, according to a report from the Government Accounting Office (PDF).

Chronic manufacturing inefficiencies, parts problems, design changes, and a steep learning curve have slowed delivery of test aircraft, according to the watchdog agency, even as DOD wants to ramp up production of line aircraft. Speeding up the delivery of 169 aircraft by 2015 will require billions in additional funding, "magnifying the financial risk to the government" and adding years to the development schedule, according to the GAO.