perfidy

Despite the pleas of the Bush/Rice administration, the budgets for the Murcheson fleet were reduced by the house budget committee (chaired by Clinton? Daschle lacky Rep. McAuliffe) to fund hive rat studies on Makassar. Just like them to underfund the fleet they are so willing to send on peacekeeping missions all over local space, instead of protecting us from the deadliest threat we know of.

It's bad enough being outnumbered by aliens who are stupid. But when you're massively outnumbered by aliens much smarter than you, it's a bad day.

[moreover] I mentioned this novel in my top five science fiction books list back in May. You should have read it by now! Lazy slackers.