In his farewell address, President Dwight Eisenhower warned the Nation 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." Many have more accurately referred to this as a military-industrial-congressional complex (MICC). The problems surrounding the Air Force's KC–135 tanker replacement program dramatically highlight the importance of Eisenhower's warning. This program, along with multiple others, has been besieged and delayed by political efforts driven by the economic benefits of a home-state industry win. Political grandstanding, contract protests, and congressional infighting all lead to delays in military procurement—delays that are even more costly in this time of war. |