The "Walter Reed Strategy"

3/31/07

President Bush visited Walter Reed hospital this week and apologized to wounded soldiers for the shoddy conditions they were facing at that once (i.e., before Bush became president) world-renowned health care facility. He also promised to ameliorate those conditions quickly.

Hmm…

A cynic might discern a strategy, and perhaps a pattern, here:

1. Create deplorable conditions, in this case by neglect, but, in other cases, by sheer incompetence or malevolence.
2. Promise to improve the horrendous conditions, which you have created, pronto.
3. Claiming that there is no time to competitive bidding and this is no situation to consider the costs (Why, anyone who would want to scrimp when it comes to helping our troops would clearly be pro-terrorist and anti-American), award lucrative no-bid contracts to favored contractors who have close ties to administration officials.

Now, I’m not saying that is what is going on here. I’m only saying a cynic might somehow think that this is what is going on here.

The Pontificator