Although there are many jokes throughout about bosses that are doofusses, it is weird once in a while when one actually is and you end up wondering, like you said, how they are there. I often think maybe they are quietly kin to someone or someone owes them a favor from very long ago ..... or they know something bad on someone higher. You just never know. Maybe they are just saving in incase they ever need a scapegoat. LOL !
About the offshore partners, some years back our national company acquired another company overseas and I wondered just how long before our positions went over there. I know I can barely understand our IT folks now when I have to call them for something. They did a spin off of that same company in the last year or two and my job is still here. I still would never be surprised really if one of those special meetings were called and we were all unemployed at the end of it. I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened before, happy, but surprised.
I think time has a lot to do with it. I have been in the same place for ages and I remember starting out with some people at the same time and at least two of them were utter plums. One of them insisted on going for every promotion opportunity he could get and he kept failing. But eventually by not leaving he ended up getting the jobs he was going for and is now doing quite well for himself!
There is always that fear when they start outsourcing and incorporating other companies in. I guess it is a happy situation when they dont have that big everybody attend call! Mine had one ten years ago and even though I would have been happy to take a payoff Iwas relieved when I wasn't one of the chosen few