Constant's pations

If it's more than 30 minutes old, it's not news. It's a blog.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

DoD Provides Classified WRM Data, Mobilization Constraints To Insurgency

Emboldened Foreign Fighters Get More Insight Into DoD Classified Resource Limitations

Congress needs to review the War Reserve Material [WRM] data which DoD has publicly and illegally released to foreign fighters. By disclosing publicly in open channels that the DoD does not have sufficient resources to support high level civilian security requirements, foreign fighters have been given critical information to impose grave damage on American military interests around the globe.

I want to know how these disclosures have been factored into Congressional oversight of DoD; and the basis for anyone to assert that the US has sufficient resources to maintain minimal Geneva compliance in Iraq, not to mention sustain any surge.

___ Who authorized the disclosure of this WRM data outside the Pentagon? [ Sample Disclosures of Classified Planning Constraints ]

Either these constraints are real, and have been illegally released; or the constraints are artificial and the President is not providing effective leadership to solve this artificial problem and should be lawfully removed from office.

* * *


Consider these stunning DoD disclosures as they relate to the difficulty with supporting American leadership security requirements:

  • DoD continues illegal warfare, but doesn't have the equipment to provide security.

  • CIA Rendition Aircraft For War Crimes Takes Precedence Over DoD Assent to Civilian Control abd Geneva Compliance

    Amazing what happens when Americans want to commit war crimes: Companies like Boeing, SAIC, Lockheed Martin and others allegedly implicated in war crimes are ready to provide support. But talk about getting support for civilian leadership, suddenly DoD can't find their way out of a box to provide the aircraft.

    These disclosures about DoD's spat with the Sergeant At Arms is information foreign fighters, the Taliban, and insurgents need to know: DoD is incompetent, has insufficient equipment, and cannot dedicate resources for high priorities.

    No wonder the Vice President and Gates are worried about the fallback plan for the surge: They already know the insurgents fully comprehend the lack of seriousness this American government has towards combat. It is irrelevant whether the combat is for illegal or illegal war.

    Rather than argue with DoD over whether Pelosi can or cannot have support, throw this mess into DoD's lap.

    1. DoD's Responsibility To Plan Finite Resources Congress Alone Provides

    DoD wants the world to believe it can credibly wage war and defeat the insurgents in Iraq. Fine.

    ___ Why should anyone believe that given the "difficulty" in finding an "extra plane" to move US civilian leaders?

    2. DoD wants Americans to believe that they are safe, and that Americans should keep paying taxes to fund a defense.

    ___ Why should anyone believe DoD can do something "complicated" like defending the Contintental United States, but it is not able to find an extra jet to provide security support to the US leadership?

    2. Oath of Office, 5 USC 3331

    DoD officials have argued that they have an oath, and fully protect the Constitution. Fine. Take them at their word.

    ___ Why should anyone believe DoD officials are serious about their oath -- which includes subservience to the US civilians -- when they refuse to fully provide support to Congress?

    DoD officials on the Joint Staff say they understand their constitutional mandate. Fine.

    ____ Why are DoD officials not responsive on reasonable efforts to fully enforce the laws of war?

    ____ What is the DOD Joint Staff plan, in the wake of the inability to find a single aircraft to provide security support to civilian leadership, to work with defense contractors to find a suitable alternative?

    ___ Is there no plan in DoD to find or procure an Aircraft meeting the Civilian leaders' security requirements?

    3. Public Service

    DoD officials would have Americans believe that the Department of Defense is serious about serving the public.

    ___ Why should anyone believe that assertion -- This DoD doesn't seem to comprehend the concept of Congressional budgeting: Only Congress, not DoD has the power to raise and support an army.

    ___ What is the DoD plan to provide one of the suitable military jets available for VIP transport to permanently provide that to the Congressional leadership, as opposed to contracting through civilian contractors allegedly affiliated with Abraxas and the CIA to engage in war crimes?

    4. Representations to Congress, False Statements

    DoD is making assertions to Congress that the surge is supportable and doable. Fine.

    ___ Why should anyone belive the US has the resources to support the surge when a higher mlitary priority -- providing civilian security support -- seems an impossible task?

    ___ What is getting in the way of the President of ordering the DoD officials to solve this problem, stop providing excuses?

    5. Further Discredits Unitary Theory of Executive Power

    Some have suggested, despite DoD inability to stay on the same sheet of music as the White House, that there is a nation of "unitary executive."

    ___ Why should anyone believe the "unitary theory of Executive power" is real when DoD refuses to cooperate with the President who, arguably, fully supports Pelosi's requirements?

    ___ However, if the Unitary Theory of Executive Power is real, but the President says he supports Pelosi, why should we believe the advertised benefits of this theory are real -- a single leader should be able to singularly solve this problem. Congress, despite providing funds to the President, is not getting the support required to effectively govern.

    ___ What issues of sovereignty have been addressed, raised, or discussed if DoD will not provide the assets required?

    ___ What direction has the DoD Staff or others received from the White House, GoP, President, or Vice President's office to not fully cooperate with the so-called security requirements related to the "new era"?

    ____ What sense does it make to lecture Congress about "not getting it" when it comes to the "big threat," yet the President -- by his inaction on this issue and refusal to solve this problem -- indicates that the President does not take the threat seriously and fully support the requirements outlined by the Sergeant At Arms?

    6. Application to Iraq Surge Plan

    Revealing resource limitations is serious business, especially when the public is led to believe that there have been studies on Army troop placement in Baghdad.

    ____ How have the DoD disclosures on WRM requirements and resources been factored into assessments of the civilian contractor inputs to the surge?

    7. Indicators of Planning Disconnects

    When DoD officials say that there are not sufficient resources to do a job, but actual resources are assumed to be higher than actuals, there is a problem with planning.

    ____ Why should anyone believe that the US planning problems related to Iraq -- as evidenced by the cursory planning for post-conflict Iraq -- has been fully coordinated given the inconsistency between [a] known resource requirements; [b] available resources; and [c] publicly stated versions of what resources are or are not sufficient?