7/06/2012
Dumb Americans
With the world’s best brains in research and technology, and military experts, they spent US$5b on a lemon uniform only to scrap it in less than 10 years. Despite all the tests and trials they only found out that it did not work after 7 years in service. Now they would have to spend another US$5b to replace that lemon.
On the other hand, Singapore used the uniform, tested by our experts, probably redesigned and improved on it and found it almost perfect to our needs. We even designed and created an uniform for desert warfare in Afghanistan, as reported in the papers today. Now our soldiers would feel safer fighting in the desert.
And the Americans are reintroducing a new design to replace the pixelised uniform. The new design is nothing much cutting edge really, likely to be a bit of change here and there of the older design that was replaced by the pixelised version.
Singapore should have offered our proven and tested version to the Americans at probably half the cost of their new design. It will be a win win situation. And Singapore would earn a new feather on its cap as a military uniform designer, better than the Americans.
But knowing the Americans, they would not accept anything from anyone. Singapore could actually buy over the rejected pixelised stocks from the Americans for a song since they have no use for them. It will help the dumb Americans to dispose of their unwanted uniforms. Otherwise they will likely burn them, or maybe bury in the desert. Maybe they will donate to Hollywood for another mega war movie with the rejected uniform to be worn by the losers.
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16 comments:
wow, at $100 a pair, the 5 billion would be 50 million pairs of free clothing for the less fortunate people in Africa and South Asia...
Hope the Yankees dun mind donating those unwanted uniforms, will help provide free clothing and plus fake soldiers when the needs arise... 50 millions.
Think if the government gives each member of the household $90 instead of buying "junk material."
Actually this looks like another US$5b scam. Someone is laughing to the bank and another lining up to do the same.
We should get the Americans to donate the uniforms to us. Can be used for training and peace time, and keep the real stuff only for real situation. Can save plenty of money, no need to call tender for 3 quotes. No minister need to explain embarrassing purchases.
Agree, since spending $2,200 for a bike is nothing when a good decent bike can be had for less than $500, it is time the govt give some money to all citizens.
You don;t have to look far to see how Macau - the casino city of Asia has rewarded its citizens (actually PRs will do/qualify) to receive cash hand-outs every month/quarterly. They collect so much tax from the casinos, they are passing it onto the citizens. Even overseas macau residents who have migrated, are all returning to enjoy the downfall. All they need to do, is to reactivate their residency. A great way to draw your citizens back when other economy is faltering.
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=117114&sid=34472065&con_type=1
In Singapore, you must improve productivity first before you get $50 raise. And no, expensive tool like a Brompton Bikes are only for elites to improve their productivity. The peasants must use their manual hands and legs.
Government cock-ups are no suprise. The defence contractors are smiling. Now they get yet-another-military-contract to manufacture and supply new apparel.
Best part: many of the uniforms are made in China.
What a divine comedy!
Making uniform is no high tech stuff. So can outsource to China. The only thing that is secret about this uniform is the 'Made in China' label. They should outsource to Sin. Then we outsource to China, ask them to stitch the "Made in Sin' label on it.
Heard they are designing a uniform for fighting in the city. My recommendations will be shirt and tie if the soldiers are to fight in Shenton Way and normal T shirts and a pair of jeans and Nike or Adidas shoes for fighting in HDB estates.
Any camouflage uniform will stand out like a sore prick in town.
Anon 11.51 am,
The govt is already giving out money to each memeber of household, in terms of subsidies, workfare, rebates etc. Before the last GE the govt has been giving out Progress or Growth dividends. Singapore is not Macau anyway cannot anyhow give money. If Macau no moeny big father China will come rescue, who will rescue us?
Anyway, how much the govt gives is never enough. Give you drumstick each everyday you will get tired and want the master's chicken breast and eventually his wole chicken. After you eat the chicken you find that no more chicken that lays the golden eggs and then you will kpkb again.
Just give me a Brompton bike will do.
No, no, no. Americans are not stupid at all. At least, not the defence contractors.
President Eisenhower warned about this in his going-away speech more than 50 years ago (http://www.npr.org/2011/01/17/132942244/ikes-warning-of-military-expansion-50-years-later):
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist.
Did they take Ike's warnings on board? Sure they did, so much so that they named an entire frigging aircraft carrier after him. And now, the point of military spending is not to defend the country. The point is purely, simply, nakedly and overtly to make money for the defence contractors.
The voters have been brainwashed to accept that all military spending is good, and the Congresspeople have been threatened and bribed into voting for any and all .mil spending ("if you don't vote for this useless plane/tank/uniform, you are an unpatriotic communist terrorist AND you won't get this $1 million campaign contribution either").
And when the only capability of the government is to use force (hammer), all problems end up looking like nails. Kinda like some guy known as Pinky and the magic tool of economic growth that screws, drills, hammers and nails the population all at once.
Since white is such a disgraced colour.
Maybe some people can use these discarded uniforms instead.
Hi Ike, welcome to the blog. Ike was probably the only enlightened American that I have forgotten.
But you are very right that the American war machine is not to defend America but to pay the defence contractors for their lifestyle. And the poor American boys and girls did not die for their country but for the same contractors.
Rather the govman waive gst for essential items like rice, sugar, salt. Cooking oil and gas etc.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/huge-let-down-army-will-yank-widespread-camouflage-pattern-deemed-a-colossal-mistake/
The Daily wrote on the “colossal mistake” of a uniform pattern over the weekend with experts and soldiers weighing in on the “fiasco”:
“Essentially, the Army designed a universal uniform that universally failed in every environment,” said an Army specialist who served two tours in Iraq, wearing [Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP)] in Baghdad and the deserts outside Basra. “The only time I have ever seen it work well was in a gravel pit.”
The specialist asked that his name be withheld because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the press.
“As a cavalry scout, it is my job to stay hidden. Wearing a uniform that stands out this badly makes it hard to do our job effectively,” he said. “If we can see our own guys across a distance because of it, then so can our enemy.”
A small quote from theblaze.com
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