[The Antiyuppie]

I have read that the U-2 is an EXTREMELY difficult and dangerous plane to fly. Certainly, an unmanned plane would do a lot of things better. So, I don’t get it. Pilots (and their training) are REALLY expensive.

The SR-71 was extremely expensive to fly, but it was built in an era where money was no object because there was no alternative, and what it provided was priceless, especially then. I doubt if there is anything in terms of surveillance that satellites couldn’t do now better and cheaper. Still, the SR-71 may remain the pinnacle of American aerospace and mechanical engineering, when “absolutely impossible” was merely difficult and expensive.

[A.A. Cunningham]

but it was built in an era where money was no object because there was no alternative,

Back when entitlement spending didn't account for ~70% of the budget.