Placing the DEI in the DIB

Defense experts and sensible lawmakers and policymakers are focused on whether the United States can put itself on a war footing if Xi Jinping invades Taiwan.

Comparisons have been drawn to Franklin Roosevelt’s “Arsenal of Democracy” and the “Greatest Generation” that mobilized America’s industrial might into a Defense Industrial Base (DIB) that would support the armies of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. Union could equip at the same time during the World War. War II.

But this generation has other priorities than ensuring that Ukraine repulses Russian aggression, Israel defeats Hamas and Taiwan deters a revanchist China. Our defense leaders are focused on putting the DEI in the DIB.

Last week, the head of one of America’s defense giants, Northrop Grumman’s Kathy Warden, was named chairman of the board of Catalyst, a global nonprofit that promotes gender equality and inclusion in the workplace.

Warden should focus on ramping up production of B-21 bombers given the program’s delays. And you’d think the $1.5 billion its shareholders had to pay due to inflation and supply chain issues would also deserve attention.

Instead, Warden and Catalyst are leading a “global DEI transformation” and “using empathy to build anti-racist organizations.” Other Catalyst initiatives encourage business leaders to explore “Indigenous Canada” and “flexible masculinities at work,” while a webinar from the nonprofit says DEI “shouldn’t require fundamental justification.”

Meanwhile, the $96 billion Sentinel ICBM program Northrop Grumman is developing is at least 37 percent over budget and two years late. It could actually be canceled as part of a congressionally mandated review process for programs that have fallen woefully behind.

But do not worry. Last month, at Catalyst’s annual awards ceremony, Hillary Clinton offered attendees “practical advice on how to overcome systemic barriers” and achieve “gender equality.” Can you hear Xi cowering in fear?