Horatio At The Bridge. . .

(Horatio At The Bridge. . .)

A few years ago, there was a reasonably entertaining movie called The Last Legion though thoroughly in-accurate. Basically, he last Roman presence in Britain, the IX or "Dragon" Legion, became the basis of the Arthurine Legend, defending Hadrian's Wall as the last piece of Roman Territory after Rome itself had fallen. As The Last Legion was set at end of the Roman Empire, a story that had been set towards its beginning was the perhaps apocryphal account of "Horatio at the Bridge." That is the account of a singular Roman Legionnaire single-handedly holding off hordes of attackers by standing post on a bridge.


Like lone Horatio on his bridge, so Trump's Nominee to head the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth is before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The California fires are persisting as are questions on leadership. President Biden in his waning days in Office just forgave more student debt. President Biden was also making the point that he has foreign policy successes that seem valid only exclusive to Biden. It is in that background, Hegseth, along with Trump National Security Adviser, Michael Walz.


If confirmed, this is the world that the Pentagon and its new Secretary Hegseth has said that the new emphasis for the Department. Gone will be the days of DEI consideration. That never occurred to Casper Weinberger, Defense Secretary to President Reagan. who has been known for his defense build-up. Hegseth will over-see the expansion under President Trump


The Hearings at the Senate Armed Services Committee concluded a few minutes ago. Hegseth will now get a vote out of Armed Services for full Senate, People can re-call the systems that had their Genises during Reagans' term: the B-1, programs that ultimately became stealth technology. the Trident Missile submarine, the D-5 missile the most advanced. The Nimitz-Class nuclear super-carrier came into its own with several classes of cruisers and destroyers. A 600-ship Navy.


The Department of Defense has suffered over the last few years. The Pentagon has been distracted during the Biden Administration where its leadership cadre, civilian and military. China is a bigger threat now and it has expanded its own Peoples' Liberation Army. Dealing with them and creating a force structure to match China's and other regional theaters is Trump's mandate for his Secretary of Defense.

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