However while being patriotic it is important at the same time to look at what the 'other guy' has, and if it is better admit it and take steps to make your stuff better that his.
I think it is a mistake to continue assuming that the only nations the US military will be facing are 3rd World banana republics or corrupt desert fiefdoms. This mode of thinking is risky because if the US has to do something big like defend Taiwan from Russia, oops, i meant China, but trust me there will be a LOT of Russia in that conflict even if it will be hidden. Just like in 'Nam when some of the 'Vietnamese' pilots turned out to have blue eyes blond hair and speak only russian. Must have been some long lost vietnamese tribe huh!
Just pretending our only enemy is armed with T-60s and T-72s is not knowing our enemy, and that is when hair-brained projects like the Crusader get put forward. Actually come think of it....the crusader is the one that looks great on paper but would be in reality a logistical disaster. And while we are saying the sukhois are just for show, and while congress is shoving the crusader to the US military (when the military doesn't want it because they would rather have satellite guided munitions), at that same time the Ruskies will be selling high tech stuff to the Balkans and China, as well as any nation that has money and a point to prove.
And then some years down the line more F-117s start getting shot down, and the public will then no longer believe the crap that was shoved to us during the Yugoslav incident when a F117 was brought down but the officials said it was probably a 'malfunction.' The only issue is that it had weapon damage from a missile???!!!!