Sir, With all due respect, I think you missed the central point. Spending 200 billion on a military where every order from company sized units up is a matter of an open debate between the military officer on the scene and the communist party officer on the scene is, to use an anatomical comparison, rather like the surgeon intentionally sewing the scissors into the patients gut following an operation. This we KNOW is not a good plan and rational rational people can predict that the patient will not perform very well when he tries to get up off the table.
In the instant case, an Army debating orders from the top down is doomed in the lightning speed of modern warfare. Anyone questioning this Should just Talk to any SURVIVIVING OFFICERS in Husseins Army.
On the Thresher, that incident occurred in 63 on a brand new nuclear powered submarine in DEEP WATER while on sea trials not a few miles offshore on a mature diesel boat. Our enemies can fantasize to the contrary all they want but it is doubtful the US Navy was having any “crew” issues on Thresher. You are correct that new experimental military equipment like the Raptor and the Thresher (in 63) are inherently dangerous. Mature diesel boats offshore are not comparable to the Raptor or brand new nuclear powered submarines back in 63.
Finally, Marxist/Lenists/Socialists do not have a history of being efficient with other people’s money. History tells us that it is much more likely that sizable portions of the 200 billion are ending up in private foreign accounts. You can Google up ample recent examples of “Chinese” corruption and execution of those involved.
You say the “the writer” is being “way to glib in his conclusions”. With all due respect to you sir, and in my opinion, you are being “way to glib in your comparisons” of a Third World “Political military” to the most modern and experienced and “professional” military on the planet.
But I would not count too heavily on the handicaps of a politicized military. As the Red Army demonstrated in WW II, with enough cannon fodder you can survive the blight of political officers.