The Wall Street Journal's subscription—only Political Diary absolutely nails Nancy Pelosi's extreme hypocrisy and disregard for the welfare of our troops. At issue is the brand—new "Rapid Acquisition Authority" given to the Department of Defense, after being fought against by the Pelosi—led Democrats.

RAA enables the DoD to spend up to $100 million a year in order to get emergency supplies to troops, without all the usual procedural delays. It is being used to supply 10,000 newly—invented jammers, which block the radio signals used to trigger roadside explosive devices. The Navy, which invented the jammers, had estimated that it would have taken 13 months under the old rules. Under RAA, it will take a few weeks for them to begin saving lives.

Pelosi has never missed an opportunity to blame the Bush administration for failures to get (for example) armor to Humvees or other necessary suppllies to the troops. But she stood in the way of a necessary and useful reform to save lives.

She is repulsive.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

Thomas Lifson   5 05 05