Might Want To Ease Up on the Hyperbole
Rep. Rob Simmons, Congressman from the Groton area, is going a little over the top in his attempts to defend SUBASE New London. Here's what an article in the Stamford Advocate reports:
"Calling it another potential Pearl Harbor, U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons said moving submarines from Groton to the Norfolk, Va.. submarine base would invite a terrorist attack.
"Do we want to create a bigger target for terrorists? Do we want another Pearl Harbor," said Simmons, who just returned from a fact-finding trip to the Norfolk base...
"...Simmons said Saturday that a shift of manpower and boats to an already congested Norfolk base could create "a massive Pearl Harbor" and make Virginia a target for terrorists."
OK... I agree that there's a case to be made for dispersing our forces, but honestly -- do you think there's some terrorist out there who's thinking "Well, I wasn't going to attack Norfolk and its' five aircraft carriers (actually six if you consider the one always being built in Newport News), but since they've doubled the number of submarines, that'll make it a target worth going after!"
We all know submarines are important, but this is a little bit much...
Going deep...
posted by Bubblehead at 4:00 PM
5 Comments:
You're right - it has enough interest there already. If they had the right "dirty bomb" available - they would consider where to take it for the the largest percentage of damage. In a case like this - he may be correct?! Problem is - who knows what's out there in "the best laid plans" of others!
6/26/2005 5:06 PM
Terrorists have no wish to provoke our military with an assault like Pearl (nor could they still pull off such a well-orchestrated surprise). Disrupting our civilian economy is their primary target. Synchronized bridge destruction with blockage of key, interstate chokepoints seems more likely.
As far as national enemies, Rep. Simmons' point has half baked merit. China's polar fleet (sooner or later) could launch on heaps of hardware with what is already concentrated in Norfolk.
6/26/2005 9:28 PM
In this age of shrinking budgets, all is fair in love and war. As the defense pie gets smaller, each community is going to do whatever it takes to try and make themselves sound not only usefull, but essential in this "War on Terror". The proponents of the Groton sub base and the submarine force in general will do wahtever it takes to arrest if not reverse the post cold war drawdown.
So be ready to hear more of "Unless we fully fund 100+ Virginia class SSN's and the bases needed for them, we will all have ragheads kicking in our doors and forcing us to bow to mecca five times a day!"
6/26/2005 11:30 PM
I think Rep Simmons didn't say it well (he is ex-Army of course..) but he makes a valid point- A Megabase like Norfolk makes a Mega-target!
Consolidating all our SSNs there makes it even "sweeter" for our enemies.
have y'all read the Bill Gertz series on the PRC "ambitions" in the Wash Times Sun and today?
Simmon's statements take on new significance in light of that vice dirty bombs and terrorists, don't you think?
Badbobusnret
Brownshoe
6/27/2005 11:26 AM
Good post, Bubblehead.
As someone who would like to see the subase remain open, I think Simmons is going about this entirely the wrong way.
Just in coffee-room chats around my office, the "it'll be another Pearl Harbor attack" argument is not exactly a winner. There are better ways to argue for the base.
6/28/2005 9:20 AM
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