You lying motherfuckers

[unhappycamper]

I posted this story yesterday:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=8022772

Sub New Mexico to be commissioned Saturday
By Steve Szkotak - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Mar 25, 2010 15:01:08 EDT

NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy is getting ready to commission its newest nuclear submarine.

This Saturday the New Mexico will be the latest to join the Navy’s attack submarine fleet.

On Thursday, the Navy held an open house to show off the 377-foot-long, Virginia-class attack sub. The 7,800 ton vessel was built for $2.7 billion at Newport News’ Northrop Grumman shipyard.

The New Mexico and its crew of 134 sailors and enlisted officers ultimately will be home-ported in Groton, Conn.

Article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/03/ap_new_mexico_com...


And the Navy Times posted this story today:

Commissioning for sub New Mexico
By Steve Szkotak - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Mar 27, 2010 12:56:09 EDT

NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy has commissioned its newest nuclear-powered submarine.

The 377-foot-long New Mexico was formally accepted Saturday at Naval Station Norfolk.

The $2.3 billion Virginia-class attack submarine was built at the nearby Northrop Grumman Shipyard in partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat. It was delivered to the Navy four months early.

The 7,800-ton ship can dive to depths greater than 800 feet, operate at speeds topping 25 knots and remain submerged for three months.

The New Mexico ultimately will be homeported in Groton, Conn.

[G_j]

1. only off by .4 billion

close enough right?
:think:

[AnArmyVeteran]

19. How many MRI machines could have been bought with $400,000,000.00???

Or how many doctors, nurses and medications. Why are those on the right so obsessed with instruments of death? Do they think bazookas, submarines or air craft carriers will be able to save their lives if they came down with a deadly virus or a cancer? I wonder if getting seriously ill would open their eyes, hearts and minds to reality? I wonder if then they would realize they were wrong about blindly supporting military expenditures and condemning government health care reforms?

[SolidGold]

21. if its the government buying it then 1. private industry, about 3000 n/t

[TreasonousBastard]

2. More to the point is why we need a new $2.something billion submarine anyway.

[taterguy]

3. Just because

Isn't that a good enough reason?

[unhappycamper]

4. We get two a year like clockwork.

Have you heard the price is going up from $2.8 billion to $6 billion dollars a pop?

[onethatcares]

12. that's so F 35s can land on their dive planes

and the new presidential helicopter can land on the con.

[YOY]

9. Because were in an arms race with guys halfway around the world with boxcutters and AKs.

and Republicans might shit themselves if we didn't have them.

[malaise]

13. because you can cut all problems that might

help Americans and the money must go to the rich.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. Shhh.

[onethatcares]

11. because

the Somali pirates use these little boats with outboard motors that have to be shot out of the water by moneycannons manufactured by General Electric.

Jeez, get with the program will ya.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Shit.

There goes the 2.7 bil I was planning to retire on.

Or maybe 2.3 bil, which would have made things a little tight for me, but I'm willing to make some sacrifices, what with the depression recession and all.

[msongs]

6. that military/corporate welfare sub would pay for a lot of teachers getting laid off nt

[cutlassmama]

8. I think that was the whole point of this

[piratefish08]

7. building them is only part of the cost. i worked at a sub base where we overhauled and refueled

those beasts. NOT cheap.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

10. Do they come in red?? Please tell me they come in red... whales beware

we have attack subs with ear splitting sonar on board.

[jmowreader]

15. Sonar that NO ONE sets to transmit, you mean...

Running active sonar is like inviting the other side to sink you for no reason.

Could be worse, though...Paul the Pirate uses jet skis to harass Japanese whalers. If there's anything stupider than trying to save an acoustically sensitive species by driving jet skis (which have a very large acoustic signature AND burn gas with oil in it), I'm not aware of it.

[shedevil69taz]

14. it is expensive

But we became the most powerfull nation in the world, in part by having better equipment than our enemies. I'm a little biased though being in the Army I like knowing the equipment that the American people provide for us will make sure we are able to win out in any future conflicts against whatever enemies might come along.

That's the catch though if you wait until the point of needing the best to defend this country RIGHT NOW it may be too late to get it built.

The Virginia class boats will be fewer in number to the number of Los Angeles class subs we have that they are replacing as well, which need much more maintinence.

[tabasco]

17. Our military budget is more than the rest of the world combined.

THE REST OF THE WORLD COMBINED.

Empires fall. Nations endure. If you love your country, wish it to be no empire.

Read Eisenhower's goodbye speech about the military industrial complex. He warned us but we didn't listen. The war profiteers are running the show.

Oh yeah, I was an Airborne Ranger. I'm no pacifist.

[shedevil69taz]

18. I wouldn't doubt it

if that were indeed the case, but I also would be curious to find the information you used to come to that conclusion, also whether or not it is entirely accurate.

I mean I would really doubt if China, Iran, North Korea, and even Russia are forthcomming with accurate information to the rest of the world as to how much they spend on their military.

You are right though, I do think sometimes we get involved in the affairs of other nations too often.

Hopefully too with this President we won't have much if any lasting presense in Iraq or Afganyland (its like disneyland only without the fun lol).

[tabasco]

20. Oh, for fucks sake.

Learn to get information and stop listening to a.m. radio for all your "knowledge."

In the time it took you to make your shitass post, you could have discovered the truth. It's not like it's some top secret information.

Stop being told what to think and think for yourself.

US defense budget = $664 billion in 2010.

This is the 2008 graph.



http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending

[Skip Intro]

22. I like the fact that we have an intimidating military.

Nobody's going to f with us on any large or sustainable scale. 9*11 not withstanding, but there is real question about what really happened that day. And I like that security. I'm not cheering spending billions and trillions of dollars needlessly, or cheering the idea of violence as a solution, but if any nation is going to have the most powerful military in the world, I want it to be mine.

[L0oniX]

23. Russia spends 50 billion a year and we spend 700 billion a year ...and our people die.