Cash cow via altopower.

Look what the Bushies have turned into a cash cow bonanza before leaving office, only eight years after Richard Clarke told them it was desperately needed and they ignored him. Until now. Hmmmm. . . let’s see. . . what could the reason be?

Good of all mankind? Oh yeah, that one’s likely. Actually thinking ahead about a policy need? Well, to do that, they’d need to have actually BEEN thinking ahead, so that’s not it.

Wars are winding down and defense contractor buddies need a new cash cow? Anyone else getting that same tingly feeling reading this:

Lockheed Martin and Boeing have decided the next cash cow is cyber defense.

According to Bloomberg, both companies, "eager to capture a share of a market that may reach $11 billion in 2013," have formed new business units to attract money that the U.S. government will be spending to secure U.S. government computers and, no doubt, to break the security of enemy computer systems.

The companies awoke to the money-making opportunity after President Bush signed a National Security Directive in January, which is commonly known as the Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative and is estimated will cost $30 billion or more to implement.

The initiative, which includes the creation of a National Cyber Security Center to be run by the Department of Homeland Security, has been criticized for its secrecy and the role that intelligence agencies may play in the plan. Critics fear the plan is a cover to give U.S. intelligence agencies the unfettered ability to monitor all traffic that passes through the internet.

Shock f-ing doctrine. But not exactly shocking they’d try it on the way out the door, now is it?

Cnet and Bloomberg have more. The Market wires are buzzing about this as an "opportunity" (read "opportunity to bilk the taxpayers, since there are already firms who specialize in cyber security that the Bushies were ignoring for some reason"), see Marketwire and Smartbrief for the investment push. IBM appears to be pushing its expertise as well of late. And if you need some sleep-inducing reading, peruse the policy brief itself.

Why do I feel like the first few days of the Obama administration will be calling a halt to the work of the last few days of the Bushies?

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