Schwartz wades into budget battle, blasts Rep. Ryan’s budget criticism
April 9th, 2012 | Air Force Politics | Posted by Brian Everstine
Air Force photo
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, speaking to a group of think tankers at the Atlantic Council on Monday in Washington, responded to criticism of the Pentagon’s support for the president’s budget proposal with some strong words.
Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., now famously criticized the military’s support of the budget to Capitol Hill, saying that he could not believe the generals could support the president’s proposal. Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also said that there is a debate within the Pentagon about the budget.
Ryan has since said he misspoke in his criticism.
When asked about the criticism, Schwartz said that the Pentagon acted in response to the Budget Control Act to craft a tight budget, and although he wishes “it could be Christmas every day,” the military found cuts that it could sustain.
“The adults did this,” Schwartz said. “I’m not sure to whom (they) are talking about, but I can tell you with certainty it isn’t the Joint Chiefs.”
Check out this week’s Air Force Times
February 20th, 2012 | Air Force Airframes Flightlines Politics | Posted by Jeff Schogol
In this week’s Air Force Times, you can read about what is buried in the service’s budget for next fiscal year, which plans to cut 9,900 airmen.
The Air Force has budgeted money for a reduction-in-force board to separate 388 officers, but a top service official says the Air Force isn’t planning any RIF or Selective Early Retirement Boards in fiscal 2013.
Meanwhile, airmen should expect to spend more time in classrooms and less time actually flying. The proposed budget would axe $38.4 million for pilot training, translating into 24,000 fewer flying hours next fiscal year.
The proposed spending cuts mean the Air Force expects to retire 227 aircraft next fiscal year. This week’s Air Force Times has a map showing which bases are losing or gaining planes.
In other news, the Air Force plans to roll out a system in which airmen can email Air Force doctors and request prescription renewals. The MiCare system should be available staring June 26.
Tags: AETC, budget, health care, personnel cuts, pilot training, prescription, RIF
Senator tries to take museum’s F-105
December 1st, 2011 | Air Force Airframes Flightlines Politics | Posted by Jill Laster
The Air Force received its first "Thud" in 1958.//Air Force
Ever want a military aircraft of your own? All it might take – apparently – is to know the right member of Congress.
Foreign Policy has reported an interesting story about Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., who has introduced an amendment ordering an Arizona museum to give up an F-105 “loaned” to it by the Air Force in 1984.
Where would the plane go? To an unnamed individual who wants to restore the Thunderchief and fly it “to honor veterans of the Vietnam War through memorial flights and for the education and enjoyment of future generations of Americans.”
But the F-105 may be safe for now. The amendment has either died or gone on hiatus, reports Foreign Policy, quoting an anonymous source tracking the amendment.
Let’s think of a new plot twist, Russia
November 30th, 2011 | Afghanistan Flightlines Politics Russia | Posted by David Larter
I’ve seen this movie before. It’s the one with all the harsh Massachusetts accents and Kevin Costner. The Russians start sending arms to Cuba and all the sudden the world is on the brink of total annihilation. Gen. Curtis LeMay even graces the scene as one of the main agitators trying to push that Kennedy guy to bomb Cuba and their commie allies back to the stone age.
Russia Today reports that Russia and Cuba are starting to rekindle the old flame. Russia, according to the State-funded news outlet, is sending arms to Cuba and it seems like they are trying really hard tick off the U.S.
Russian contractors are to supply production equipment for manufacturing 6.52-mm rifle rounds, Kommersant daily reports. Cuban arms plant called Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara will also receive a license and technology for recycling used ammo.
I’m sorry, 6.52 rifle rounds? That’s a lame plot device. This is an obvious attempt to put a bee in the U.S. bonnet but it’s hardly a major threat or the foundation of a tense political thriller. This Cold War throw-back story just smacks of castration anxiety.
Russia Today is a dubious news source at best. The New Republic dubbed the newly formed U.S. bureau of RT as “Pravda on the Potomac,” and described it this way:
With its often virulent anti-Americanism, worshipful portrayal of Russian leaders, and comical production values, the station, which has over 90 million viewers, can be relied upon to repeat Kremlin talking points. But while the station has pretensions to be a respected news outlet, it often can’t help but revive the pettiness that was a distinctive feature of Soviet-era propaganda.
If you’ve been paying attention, the relationship with Russia has become rather tense over the last few hours. In response to the U.S. installing a missile defense system in Europe, Russia has threatened to cut the Northern Distribution Network, a supply train that pumps about 40 percent of the allied war supplies into Afghanistan. If Russia were to cut those supply lines, it would mean that 70 percent of the supplies coming into the country would be cut off since Pakistan has also cut U.S. supply lines.
The Russia Today story acknowledges the tensions but quotes and expert who says the arms deal with Cuba has nothing to do with the current tensions.
Vladimir Anokhin, the vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, does not believe that signing the military contract with Cuba is some kind of Russian geopolitical answer to US plans to deploy an anti-ballistic missile system in Europe.
Tags: JFK, Kevin Costner, russia, Russia Today, Thirteen Days
Last night’s national-security debate: A roundup
November 23rd, 2011 | Flightlines Politics | Posted by Jill Laster
Republican presidential candidates from left, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman after seen at a Republican presidential debate in Washington on Nov. 22.// Evan Vucci/AP
In case you missed the GOP national-security debate last night – the seven millionth debate so far in this election cycle - here’s the consensus online: You didn’t miss much.
Still want the blow-by-blow? Check these stories out to get some of the basics:
- Time’s handy “Cliff’s Notes” version of the debate. My favorite line, from former Speaker Newt Gingrich: “All of us will be in danger for the rest of our lives.” Oh, the good times just keep on comin’, America. (Battleland)
- If you prefer watching clips of the debate – including some interesting sparring on Afghanistan, Pakistan and al-Qaida – the Daily Beast has some nice, bite-sized pieces of the debate. (Daily Beast)
- Danger Room is pretty sure last night’s debate sucked. But they picked out three good moments that you should know about. (Danger Room)
- One moment that Danger Room didn’t write about, but has raised some eyebrows: Rick Perry suggested Defense Secretary Leon Panetta should resign in protest over the hundreds of billions in DoD cuts over the next decade. (Stars & Stripes)
- The Associated Press fact-checks all the presidential debates, including this one. Their main takeaway was that the discussion on detainee interrogations stretched the truth. Michelle Bachmann was singled out for factual errors, with the AP saying that “her hyperbole on the American Civil Liberties Union was one of the more notable stretches in the national security and foreign policy debate.” (The Associated Press)
- WaPo fact checks debates as well, using their delightful (and methodologically sound) Pinocchio-based scale. Mitt Romney earned the dubious honor of saying the night’s “four-Pinocchio whopper” when he threw in that “President Obama apologizes for America.” He also got caught making an erroneous statement about the F-22, according to the Post. (The Washington Post)
If that’s still not enough debate news for you, you can watch the full thing online. But you might consider taking a breather from politics instead- we’re still a year away from next November and it’s going to be a long election season, friends.
Colbert thanks the troops for sacrificing … again
November 22nd, 2011 | Flightlines Obama Administration Politics Video | Posted by David Larter
A screen grab from a video of the Nov. 17 episode of Colbert Report. Stephen Colbert takes time out to "honor the troops." // colbertnation.com
Stephen Colbert has always taken time to cheer up and support the troops, even traveling to Baghdad, donning a universal camouflage pattern suit and declaring victory in the Iraq War in 2009.
And last week he did it again, only this time he had some very pointed criticism for those in Congress who have supported cutting Tricare benefits for veterans as a way of reducing America’s debt burden. During his regular segment “The Word,” Colbert called on the nation’s “1 percent” to sacrifice more for the good of the country.
“Everybody’s talking about it,” Colbert said. “There is a tiny minority of Americans who could be doing a lot more for our nation. A minority who live a lifestyle that the 99 percent could not imagine. You know who I’m talking about. I’m talking about military veterans.”
After lampooning the supercommittee for failing to agree on anything except creating savings by cutting Tricare, he turned his guns on the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees for supporting the cuts.
“Congress is sending our troops a clear message. That message: that we can take for granted that service members are willing to give up more than the rest of us.”
Colbert offered thinly veiled criticism for those who pay lip service to “honoring the sacrifice” of service members while still asking veterans to give up benefits. “No one honors their sacrifice more than I, and I’ll prove it,” he said, turning with great ceremony toward the camera as if to address service members in TV Land. “I honor your sacrifice,” he said as he flashed “Honoring in progress” in red, white and blue on the screen.
You can see the whole video here.
Tags: Colbert Report, humor, Super committee, tricare
Scenes from a Kabul firefight
September 13th, 2011 | Afghanistan Politics | Posted by David Larter
NATO uploaded footage of today’s firefight outside the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was the second major attack this week. On Sunday, insurgents set off a truck bomb that injured nearly 80 U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan.
See video of today’s attack below:
Tags: afghanistan, American embassy, firefight, Kabul
Swagger, pistols and cockpit experience
August 17th, 2011 | Air Force Flightlines Obama Administration Politics | Posted by Scott Fontaine
One* of the men who wants to be your next commander-in-chief is touting his Air Force experience.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been stumping across Iowa lately. He proudly presents his conservative bona fides: He loves guns (and packs heat while jogging). He really doesn’t like same-sex marriage. He likes pardoning death-row criminals even less.
He also likes to tell voters about his military service: He earned a commission in the Air Force, became a C-130 pilot and left four years later as a captain.**
That experience provides one reason why Perry wants to unseat President Barack Obama next November.
“One of the powerful reasons that I’m running for the presidency of the United States is to make sure that every young man and woman who puts on the uniform of this country respects highly the president of the United States,” Perry said during an Iowa speech, according to the Houston Chronicle.
* — And before the angry emails come pouring in: Yes, I’m aware that Ron Paul served in the Air Force too. But this ain’t his first time seeking the nomination.
** — Presidential trivia time: Perry or Paul could become the first person to serve in the active-duty Air Force and later became commander-in-chief. Ronald Reagan served in the Army Air Forces, and George W. Bush served in the Air National Guard.
Tags: air force, politics, rick perry, ron paul