REWARDING INCOMPETENCE US STYLE 2011-----If capitalism is the best form of economic/political system for the US, one can argue its time is passing or past. It is it quickly heading pell-mell toward that dust bin of history along with fascism and communism. -... US capitalism has penchant for wars it just cannot seem to win or when it finally loses crashes hard as in Vietnam ; this war effectively destroyed national military service. Americans subsequently refused to be drafted and die for incompetent leadership who set off on wars of choice... Now we have a mercenary military force that the US congress struggles to pay and care for its veterans. ..Its role in Afghanistan and Iraq is that it has not won ,but it has not lost. It s generals seem to pride themselves on keeping the wars going, not winning them. ..Even in Iraq SecDef Gates is soliciting the IRAQ government of Shiite Maliki to request at least 20,000 troops plus as many contractors remain after the agreed 2011 withdrawal. As of this writing the Maliki government does not have a secretary of defense or a minister of interior. But it does have el Sadr, a virulent anti American cleric, straight from poliitical finishing school in Iran. He is the power behind Maliki and would put the premier's head on a pike should he request continued occupation by the US. ..US/NATO war in Libya has been a farce .Ghadafi's push to the oil-rich East has been slowed ,but certainly not stopped. So far US/NATO airforces have demonstrated what they do best--BOMB the wrong people.Ghadafi forces have stopped oil flowing from Libyan fields to it ports. The rebels still control about a million barrels stored in Tobruk,which is their last major source of income to buy war materials and supplies.... Despite the fact France and Italy has recognized the "the temporary transitional illusionary rebel regime "in Benghazi, we know that Ghadahfi in 2009 indicated he was prepared to nationalize oil production in Libya. Forget about protecting noncombatants as just propaganda-protecting oil from nationalization is closer to reality. Just observe the destruction of Libyan cities in the East... Ironically, France and Italy are now being overwhelmed by refugees from Libya and Tunisia.. The Middle East is in turmoil and US policy there has fallen apart as Yemen , Syria and Egypt have major internal security problems. US backed Israel is greedily building on Palestine land while the Obama administration tacitly supports it. ... This summer there will be major leadership changes among national security personnel. Secdef Gates and Chairman OJCS Admiral Mullen are to retire--Generals Petraeus, Eikenberry, Ordinero may have other jobs' It does not seem to make much difference who will do what since they all think and act robotically--all are losers except Ordierno. ..Petraeus fancies himself as a candidate for CIA Director if Panetta moves into the SecDef job. ,..Petreus at CIA would be showtime as he leads the Agency on 3-mile runs every morning. Petraeus and SLAM DUNK CIA deserve each other as they dance embraced over the edge of the cliff. Too bad for USA. ...Failure is reinforced if incompetence is rewarded. This true also with bank bailouts that provide bonuses to those who wrecked he economy... The US current variety of capitalism is that Government fosters corporation profits but there is almost no penalties for failures. The military industrial complex is here to stay as it finds more reasons are to drop bombs. The COMPLEX under GWBush has succeeded in a private mercenary force that will be used by corporations. .... At a foreign reception , small talk turned to the pending English royal wedding. One guest volunteered that he was in London for the Diana/Charles wedding, when another asked me whom the US was bombing at that time.? Colonel Robert E Bartos USA Ret