Is it time to just shut down the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?

In my nearly two decades of covering the defense
establishment, I never really looked at the Army Corps of Engineers. It is like
a separate entity.

I regretted that neglect when I read a story
in this morning's Washington Post
about a scheme involving two Corps program managers and people at a private
company that prosecutors are calling "one of the most brazen bribery and
corruption schemes in the history of federal contracting." The Post continues: "they bought millions of
dollars worth of BMWs, Rolex and Cartier watches, flat-screen televisions,
first-class airline tickets and investment properties across the globe."

The story ended on this dismaying note: "Press officers of
the Corps of Engineers did not return phone calls or e-mails seeking comment."
The Corps needs to make dealing with this scandal priority no. 1 -- especially
in a budget environment where any entity that is not clearly contributing
greatly faces the prospect of being eliminated.

Justice William Douglas once suggested that every federal
agency should have a sunset provision -- that is, it ceases to exist after,
say, 10 years, unless the Congress renewed it. I think it may be time to
re-visit that thought.   

Meanwhile, in other legal proceedings, a Coast Guard chief
warrant officer was convicted of, among other things, malingering.
I can't remember seeing that charged before.