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Most communities with a military installation nearby take a very nervous interest when talk of closing that installation begins. However, when the DoD looks at ways to save money that topic inevitably comes up.
As you might expect, BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) is a politically charged process. To appreciate what's at stake, note that Lowry Air Force Base was the largest employer in the Denver metro area until its closure in 1994. Many military installations are in or near small or medium size towns that can't absorb such a loss. Thus, when BRAC talk begins, civic groups tend to circle the wagons, concessions are made, deals are cut, and the best and worst of power politics come into play. The DoD, congress, and local communities often have conflicting interests and points of view, and what you see or hear about it is just the tip of the iceberg.
And for every looser there's usually a winner in the process, as many functions of certain bases are transferred to others.
If you fully grasp the ramifications of this, you'll understand why Smash appears to have scored quite a coup for the blogosphere.
