Pentagon Spending and Closing Bases

I am practically frothing at the mouth, having read the piece in The Times regarding the $30 billion in unnecessary surplus equipment the military is letting rot in warehouses (Part A, Feb. 5). I’m furious that this piece didn’t receive a banner headline; I’m furious that there seems to be no one to nail, and that we taxpayers are, once again, rendered powerless before those we’ve put in charge. In this time of budget deficits and homelessness, shouldn’t someone go to jail, or at the very least be sued, for such immoral squandering?

A democracy is supposed to allow citizens input into leadership decisions. But how do we contain a dishonest, greedy, negligent military bureaucracy? Perhaps we should elect, rather than allow to be appointed, those responsible for placing orders for the Pentagon. Perhaps we should be able to initiate class-action lawsuits against presidents who allow abuses to occur. It’s clear to me that something has to change. Any other ideas?

TOBI DRAGERT

Tarzana