40 Comments
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Kent Anderson's avatar

"(W)hich is a lot like trying to estimate the tip on a restaurant bill that doesn’t include the cost of any of the food."

Funniest line of the week. Thanks, Alex.

Seriously, this administration is so fabulously stupid and incompetent, that you can't keep up. It's not just Hegseth. It's the entire administration. People are fed up with this shit. Whether or not it translates to a different-looking Congress or not is another matter.

Thomas Hunt's avatar

Well said. The defense spending is so out of control that it's sickening. Not to steal your title, but really, how the hell did we get to this point? I've lost so much faith in our country and the voters who put these clowns in office.

Doc Blase''s avatar

As The Men of Rushmore sang, "What the hell were you thinking?" Billions for war and not a penny for starving children.

People need to get pissed off and stay that way for the next 104 days.

Blair W Carrigan's avatar

To recap: America has apparently decisively won a war that it is still actively fighting, the Pentagon needs another $80 billion to defeat an enemy that has already been “decimated,” nobody can say how many American soldiers have been injured, the official casualty database keeps changing its mind, and the Secretary of Defense’s primary concern appears to be whether the troops have sufficiently robust testicles.

It’s less Top Gun and more The Producers, except the production is a war, the investors are American taxpayers, the reviews are coming from dead and injured soldiers, and somehow the sequel is already asking for another $80 billion.

And naturally, none of this is their fault. The war was Trump’s idea, the money has disappeared under Hegseth, the numbers are being maintained by a Pentagon database suffering an apparent nervous breakdown, and yet, somehow, Joe Biden is responsible.

At this point, the only thing being successfully decimated is the concept of accountability.

VEE LAVALLEE's avatar

Still depending on the election I see. Good luck with that. If there is one and if everyone eligible is allowed to vote and if the vote is counted correctly. Then you have nothing to worry about (‘-‘)

VEE LAVALLEE's avatar

As always it’s the religious folks that throw a spanner in the works which is why the government should separate themselves from it.

Angie's avatar

Best use of verb ‘beclown’ I have ever read.

Linda Roberta Hibbs's avatar

Thank you for the article, Alex. Pete Hegseth has no interest in knowing about the deaths of soldiers. This breaks my heart. I was a soldier who volunteered over forty years ago. I guess I volunteered because, navy medics, were short staffed. I have no memory of it . The doctors put it all together for me. I was in the Beriut barracks bombing. I guess it happened in 1983. I paid a price. To this day the woman who raised me knew and both my fathers knew. They refused to tell me. I came in a wheelchair with a major head injury. I have rods in back and now I am finally going to neurosurgeon in Joplin, Mo. This has taken me 7 months. I had to yell at my GOP Senator Morans office. I called them murders for the killing ice has done. They have done nothing about this, and I was wrong to do this . When you hurt and have real physical broken bones in your lower spine you know. Veterans get treated badly by the Secretary of the Va.

Thomas Hunt's avatar

One other thing if I may. According to Fiscal Data, the government has revenues in 2026 of $4.15 trillion and spending of $5.52 trillion, a deficit of $1.37 trillion and a national debt of $30.46 trillion. Republicans love wars and spending, contrary to their false fiscal conservatism. What a joke!

john kouters's avatar

And they can't comprehend why once allies won't join the disaster

Edwin Henley's avatar

Hegseth preparing the ground for catastrophe

The Armed Services of the US have developed checks and balances over 200+ years to insure that their members who act recklessly with poor judgement are reigned in and if necessary held accountable for behavior putting themselves, their brother and sister comrades in arms and or the general public at risk. These same checks and balances try to insure that the expenditure of resources is done because there has been a responsible decision to expend the cost of these resources in the best interests of the services and the US Public.

Under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth there has been a reckless disregard and dismissal of these developed checks encouraging service members who have acted recklessly to continue to do so. Some recent incidents of this type are the fly by/over at Kid Rocks home, an indefensible expenditure of resources and personnel - “that immediately caused a review to be started”, the flyover by South Carolina National Guard Helicopters “Salute from Shore” -“that immediately caused a review to be started” and the fly over by the Elite Naval flying unit the “Blue Angels” at a beach in Pensacola Beach, Florida - “that immediately caused a review to be started”. Our Secretary of Defense caused all these reviews to be suspended, what does this tell our service members about reckless unreasoned behavior on their part?

Unjustified expenditures

https://abcnews.com/Politics/army-suspends-apache-pilots-hovered-kid-rocks-home/story?id=131580851

https://youtube.com/shorts/MLhpF44n_N0?is=XSD_il99ek9lwT84

Public put at risk

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-carolina-beach-flyby-national-guard-suspensions-lifted/

https://www.wect.com/2026/07/10/8-pilots-suspended-following-fourth-july-flyover-during-salute-shore-event/

https://youtube.com/shorts/A7vVs5e5owc?is=S47L6m-MiBJnEfR9

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2026/07/17/blue-angels-wont-be-punished-after-low-beach-flyover-acting-secnav-says/

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da0ZPkRzr3r/

Clarke Scherff's avatar

It's terrible that 18 of our service men and women have been killed in a war that makes no sense. I am also wondering of the 447 (or more) injured have been injured in such a way that they will be disabled (lost arms or legs, paralyzed and relegated to a wheel chair etc.) for the rest of their lives. Can this incompetent Defense Dept give us those figures?

Christina M. Padien's avatar

Really important questions that will get no answers.

LaurenAZGoodGirl's avatar

The sooner that moron implodes and is found in a locked hotel room, blackout drunk in a dog pile of spent hookers, the better off we will be. Although Susan Collins might become slightly concerned and tear her hands off her own wrists. Concerned, I say!

Beth Fisher's avatar

Great piece Alex!

Ron Hudson's avatar

What more needs or can be said about Trump and his hand-picked minions that hasn’t already been said? He is insane in the classic sense of the word. The November elections will either curb his ability to do further harm, cause chaos in the streets if he interferes with the election or foment a quasi civil-war, at his behest if he loses. Regarding the military adventure that is surely doomed to further failure and loss of life, the enemies of the United States, are surely holding their forces under tight control to avoid a war that nobody except perhaps Miller wants.

Doc Blase''s avatar

Special Boy Donnie loves to see things go boom.

Vinton Frost's avatar

Pete shot up a whole box of Botox on his forehead and brow

Dr.Sue's avatar

Talking about being in over your head!

Jwanon's avatar

Great way to run a war and a country