But what if the shipyards, of which there are only two or three in the world able to do this kind of work, all simply refused to bid on the contracts? "Not interested, sorry..." as it were - out of a true sense of patriotism. Yes, the president could then demand that the shipyards be punished by withholding future repair and construction orders, but that would raise a scandal far bigger than this one. The Navy has no other place to go than these few huge and vastly influential yards.

A scandal big enough, perhaps, that at last the Congress and its defense committees would finally step forward and lay down the law to preserve the Fleet's future effectiveness.