[softrock]

At the time ULA was formed it wasn't an error. The US had a serious problem with rocket reliability and lost more than a few very expensive satellites. The devlopment or reliable and on demand access to space was a matter of national security.

[Ankaios]

ULA was formed at the end of 2006. The United States had no rocket reliability problem at that time. (Not counting rockets in development, of course.) The Enhanced Expendable Launch Vehicles (Altas V and Delta IV) had good track records when they were merged into ULA—each already had several flights under their belts at that point.