Pentagon was wrong on military cuts, Southern states argue

[maddezmom]

KRISTEN WYATT

Associated Press


ATLANTA - Three Southern states slated to lose military jobs under a Pentagon plan blasted the Department of Defense Thursday in a last-ditch effort to save their bases and missions.

In the last public chance for officials to argue their cases before the Base Realignment and Closure commission, congressmen from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee took issue with the Pentagon's recommendations. The Department of Defense announced in May that four bases in Georgia, plus some missions in Alabama and an Air National Guard unit in Nashville, Tenn., should be closed or moved to save money.

The plan was "based on flawed cost estimates," argued Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss. A Tennessee congressman, Rep. Jim Cooper, called his state's cuts "a serious mistake."

And Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, said, "For the life of me, I don't understand" a recommendation to shave a mission from one of his bases, Maxwell-Gunner Air Force Base. Officials from all three states disputed the Pentagon's projected cost savings.

more:http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/12025238.htm

[Dhalgren]

1. Three red states go wahhh, wahhh, wahhh...

Rethink your politics, assholes.

[RubyDuby in GA]

2. I don't want to lose the jobs these bases have, but I desperately

want Saxby, Isakson and asshat Sonny Perdue to get left holding the (empty base) bag.

[Solly Mack]

3. Afraid of losing a vote but not afraid to send people to die for lies

ho hum...

[brooklynite]

4. Hmm, questioning the military...

I guess they don't "support our troops".

[brentspeak]

5. The cuts are much worse in the North

Maine will be losing the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Brunswick Naval Air Station, Conn. will lose its submarine base, and either New Jersey will lose Fort Monmouth or Maryland will lose Aberdeen Proving Ground (ie. getting two Blue states to fight one another).

There's no question that Blue states receiving the bulk of cuts is purely political. Same with Maine: apparently, Sens. Collins and Snowe have "displeased" the WH because of some of their votes.

[youspeakmylanguage]

6. Buyer's remorse is a b*tch, isn't it?

:evilgrin:

[Tempest]

7. Why are they against "sacrifice"?

According to the rightwing, this makes them traitors and un-American.

[mom cat]

8. Now their ox is gored!

[dissent1977]

9. I am all for cuts in the military

Our military has grown way too large, and is now doing the exact opposite of what it was intended to do. It is making the world a more dangerous place.

I don't like to see people lose their jobs, but I think there are better ways to produce jobs than by building bombs and training people to kill.

[Sandpiper]

10. Bunch of lazy Corporate Welfare Queens

They need to stopping sucking the government teat and practice some rugged individualism.

[Sequoia]

11. See, we warned you but you voted for him anyway.

But, we understand your pain. We can't let this stupid and hateful Administration divide us and that's what they want to do, red vs. blue, liberals vs. conservatives. Because as long as we fight among ourselves they'll just laugh and take over the Middle East, the Far East and the whole bloody world. Nothing compares to their lust for money and conquest, and all be damned who stand in the way.

[teryang]

12. The money saved will go to defense contractors

Not greedy neighborhoods with common people.