Are partnership missions the "meals on wheels" that Rush warned about????

The photos above are from Cobra Gold.

I'll spare you the captions.  They're not worth it in my opinion.  Understand I'm not getting on the Marines and Sailors that are sent on these missions...I am questioning our leadership.

Back during the 90's, Rush Limbaugh derided Clinton for sending the US Military on "meals on wheels" missions.  If you've taken a serious look at the current "exercises" you'll see that those fears of yesterday might be justified today.

Partnership missions appear to be glorified civics projects with little actual training taking place.

Marines playing patty cake with children.

Building schools/roads/villages.

Doing things that the Peace Corps should be doing...not the Marine Corps. 

If we are going to go back to being a force in readiness that arrives by the sea then we've got to get away from these types of programs.  If we are going to be smaller.  If we are going to have to do more with less...then we must focus on the missions at hand. 

I've never seen building villages as a critical skill for Marine Infantry.