Space Defense Budget Mess (Rumsfeld has let chaos reign)

[Barrett808]

BMD Focus: Space Defense Budget Mess
by Martin Sieff
UPI Senior News Analyst

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has let chaos reign in his $22.663 billion ballistic missile and other space defense programs, and he needs to take a hands-on administering role in sorting out the mess, according to a recent GAO report.

The report, entitled "Defense Space Activities: Management Guidance and Performance Measures Needed to Develop Personnel," GAO-05-833 was issued by the Government Accountability Office on Sept. 21 and it was outspoken in its criticism of the Department of Defense's lax management of its space defense programs during Rumsfeld's tenure as secretary of defense since January 2001.

"Since a January 2001 Space Commission report highlighted the need to develop and maintain a space cadre, DOD has made limited progress on defense wide space cadre actions," the report said. "DOD has fallen behind its implementation schedule for its February space human capital strategy."

"As of June 2005, DOD had completed three of the nine tasks scheduled for completion by March 2005 and one other task," the report said.

"DOD's management approach for the departmentwide space cadre is inconsistent with a results-oriented management approach in two areas," the report said. "DOD has not issued detailed guidance to provide accountability by institutionalizing space cadres authorities and responsibilities," it said. Also, "DOD has not completed its strategy implementation."

(more)

http://www.spacewar.com/news/abm-05zd.html

[agincourt]

1. That's been our modus operandi

of ballistic missile defense since the Reagen years. Money goes in, nothing goes out, contractors, who rip the taxpayer off, finance GOP campaigns, yada yada yada. The job will never be complete because then new taxpayer money for GOP contractors won't be forthcoming.

[indepat]

2. No accountability in a $22+ billion program: standard neocon operating

procedures. Yawn, nothing here for there ain't likely any Repuke Congressmen who give a diddledy-damn.

[bemildred]

3. I have a better idea, fire his ass and get someone with a clue. nt

[cassiepriam]

4. It is the way they bribe the military industrial complex...

so many people on payola.