"Something's wrong with the system"

So sayeth Donald Rumsfeld with reference to our weapons building process.

"We're No. 1 in the world in military capabilities, but on the business side, the Defense Department gets a D- giving them the benefit of the doubt." sayeth the GAO.

The problems:

• Overly expensive technological requirements that are far beyond current capabilities.


• Gross under-estimates of anticipated costs.


• Lack of oversight by the Pentagon; the contractors are expected to police the contract.


• Unrealistic testing


• Costs are hidden under a cloak of secrecy


• Congress approves weapons the military doesn't want.

The costs of new weapons is growing faster than the defense budget. But, are we any safer? Or, our troops better prepared? Or, is it that I should invest in defense contractors, where the ordinary rules of business and common sense do not seem to apply?