Posted on 03/11/2009 9:32:17 AM PDT by pissant
CQ's Josh Rogin reports:
The White House has given the Pentagon guidance to delay procurement of aerial refueling tankers by five years and cancel plans for a new long-range bomber, according to three sources close to the discussions.
No final decisions have been made, and the recommendations are part of negotiations between the Office of Management and Budget and the Defense Department over possible budget trade-offs this year, the sources said. The guidance represents two of the offset options that OMB gave the Pentagon last month regarding the fiscal 2010 Defense budget request.
If the guidance survives the internal budget process, a huge protest will follow on Capitol Hill, where dozens of lawmakers are heavily invested in the battle over tanker procurement, which has raged for years.
A new long-range bomber may be an unnecessary extravagance given the nation's current fiscal problems, but the military faces an urgent need for a new fleet of aerial refueling tankers. John McCain scuttled the first attempt to deal with the problem when he exposed the corrupt inside dealing that had handed Boeing a contract to lease the tankers to the Air Force. The investigation landed senior officers for both the Air Force and Boeing in prison. Then Northrop won the contract to provide the tankers only to have Boeing protest the decision with bipartisan support from the Hill -- particularly from Democrats who represent Boeing's home state of Washington and their protectionist allies. Now Obama looks set to push off the issue for another five years, out past his reelection campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
ASAP isn’t soon enough!!!
Bama jus gave me a great idea on how to spend my share of stimulus money. I’m going to donate it to defeating him and all of the congressional cronies in 2010 and him in 2012.
Jimmah Cahtuh canceled the B-1 bomber.
This is like deja vu all over again, only worse!
ping.
Why doesn’t a billion dollars spent on the military stimulate the economy just as much as a billion dollars spent on community organizing?
The BUFF (B52) may last for another 50 years.............
Since they are needed, they better be battling for them.
jimmah did worse than that....i remember planes not being able to fly due to lack of spare parts...aircraft having to be cannibilized for parts...no fuel to fly them....military personnel on food stamps...prepare for the worst, because it is a commin’...
I agree. We need to go back in time to undo the damage.
The AF has already come out and said that any further delays to a new tanker WILL impact their ability to perform their missions. No two ways about it. AR is absolutely VITAL to the AF. This decision is utterly f’in STOOPID!!!
FUBO!! x a quazillion
SZ
just wait. it’s coming with this idiot too.
When they cut the Seawolf program, all the machine shops in Groton CT closed. You couldn’t get your brakes drums turned. Obama doesn’t have the mental capacity to understand that the industrial-military complex creates jobs that do many civilian things. He should look up all the products that were developed as an offshoot of the military purpose. Like, I don’t know. Velcro!
Jimmy Carter Redux, re the B1 bomber....................
My sentiments exactly. Thank you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.