[McClain]

Max, the military did this to itself. I'm serious. I was there. Here's how it happened. Look at the ebb and flow of attrition.

80s: End strength Strong (Cold War)
early 90s: End strength Weak (Desert Storm/Shield)
late 90s: End strength Strong
early 00: End strength Weak (OIF/GWOT)
mid 00: OVER STRENGTH, UNDER BUDGET

How did we get here? How did we manage to cut our own throats? Why are they alloting us more troops but not giving us ample funds?

Because congressionals kept cutting the budget and military leadership folded like a fajita. The HOR and senate were too lazy to get out of their leather chair and take a 1st class trip to a dilapidated military base to see first hand the state of our assets. So they sent their wormy staffers to do their bidding. Uniformed, overeducated staffers. With a pencil and a trapper keeper.

I did PR for uncle Sam for 8 years. (read: spin doctor) I had talking points committed to MEMORY so that when the staffers came through we could some how get them to throw us a bone. We used whatever means we had at our disposal. (it's not like we had advertising dollars - oh, the irony) Cold calls and hook-ups. We would BEG congressionals to tour our bases. (LURE / TRAP) We got some big fish: Tipper Gore & Newt (not at the same time... haha, that would have been great)

Sidenote: Newt came while he was acting Speaker. I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure it was weeks before being named "Man of the Year" by Time. He was at the apex of leading a very public republican revolution in congress. All I could think when I shook his hand was, "Wow. This guy is fat."

The dialogue between the military and senate went something like this:

General: Senator, we saved you $2 billion this year by cutting funds for units and reallocating operational target dollars. We also lowered recruitment quotas/discharged servicemembers and replaced them with civilian contractors.
Senator: Thank you General.
General: In return we'd like to invest those saved dollars in to some new aircraft and submarines. We're awfully short these days.
Senator: ROTFLMAO. Don't think so. You've proved that you can operate without that money. Why should you get it now? And in the future, we expect more results with less funding. Okay? Thanks.

But did the Senate tell the military they would be able to reuse the funds? And if not, why would they go to all that trouble and expect a hand out? Because DoD doesn't communicate through public forum it's not affored the same clout. It's true. As an American citizen you have civil liberties... Free speech. When the military whines it's considered insolence.

"If we keep forces in Iraq too long, we risk running into a situation where the force begins to break," said former US Army officer Andrew Krepenevich.

I've got an idea: get them out of Iraq. Army recruiting can't hit quota and retention is horribly low. Monetary incentives aren't good enough. Patriotism is wearing thin. Everyone got so caught up in technological advances and resolve through intimidation (sanctions and embargos - GAY) that we thought the days of having a force with strong end strength was over. WRONG.