Why Ending F-22 Procurement Is So Important

"THE fact that the F-22 program is no longer needed beyond where it stands today, that it is no longer wanted by the most senior civilian and uniformed officials in the Pentagon—exercising their best professional judgment—and that it is simply no longer affordable cannot be disputed. However, in the face of those facts, the full weight of all those interests that have—for a period of over 20 years—become invested in the survival of the program has been brought to bear on the decision-making process on this body today. That is the military-industrial-congressional complex at work."
-- check at bottom for the quotee

From Robert Gates speech to Chicago Econ Club last week:
"...Authorization for more F-22s is in both versions of the defense bill working its way through the Congress. The president has indicated that he has real red lines in this budget, including the F-22.

Some might ask, why threaten a veto and risk a confrontation over a couple of billion dollars and for a dozen or so more -- a dozen or so more planes?

The grim reality is that with regard to the defense budget, we have entered a zero-sum game. Every defense dollar devoted to -- diverted to fund excess or unneeded capacity, whether for more F-22s or anything else, is a dollar that will be unavailable to take care of our people, to win the wars we are in, to deter potential adversaries, and to improve capabilities in areas where America is underinvested and potentially vulnerable. That is a risk I cannot accept and one that I will not take.

And with regard to something like the F-22, regardless of whether the number of aircraft at issue is 12 or 200, if we can't bring ourselves to make this tough but straightforward decision -- reflecting the judgment of two very different presidents, two secretaries of defense, two chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the current Air Force secretary and chief of staff -- where do we draw the line? And if not now, when? If we can't get this right, what on earth can we get right? It is time to draw the line on doing defense business as usual. The president has drawn that line, and that line is with regard to a veto. And it is real..."

TW: Congress is trying to continue funding the F-22 fighter aircraft in the face of opposition from Gates and our POTUS. Obama has threatened a veto if F-22 funding emerges in the new defense spending bills. I sincerely hope he holds the line. There are strong arguments in favor of the F-22 but we cannot have everything at some point tough choices have to be made. The F-22 is a metaphor for government spending in general.

The reason the F-22 remains alive is not overriding military needs but strong political pull exerted by the F-22 manufacturer which cannily (like most contractors) spread F-22 production contracts across as many congressional districts as possible. This is a bi-partisan pork project but where are those allegedly ferocious spending police in the Republican party to help Gates and Obama fend of the budget busters?

It appears, as of yesterday, the Senate has voted to back the Gates/Obama position. Good news. These things tend to have nine lives (at least) so I suspect further votes will be necessary. The quotee btw, Mr. John McCain (Sen AZ) well-known pacifist left-wing weak on defense type.