(Sec of Defense) Gates says Air Force not doing enough in Iraq war effort

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Air Force is not doing enough to help the Iraq war effort, complaining that some military leaders are "stuck in old ways of doing business."

Gates complained Monday in a speech at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama that getting the Air Force to send more surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has been "like pulling teeth."

The Pentagon chief praised the Air Force for its overall contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan but made a point of urging it to do more and to undertake more creative ways of thinking about helping the war effort.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/1573/story/1044682.html

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Gates wants to recreate the bombing of Laos and Cambodia, perhaps?

[DS1]

2. They spend all their money on the F-22

Sorry.

[SpikeTss]

3. Wait a sec .... war? Which war?

[nolabels]

9. It's a war of the minds and brains

A place that * is unfamiliar with but thinks.....errr......ahhhhhh.....okay just skip that :dunce:

[DrDan]

4. sounds like he is looking for a scapegoat for this failed war

the Dems and the Air Force - that should cover all bases

[Wickerman]

5. Well, Waa, Waa, Waaa

Fer chrissakes, who is the boss, Robert? If you can't get them to do what you want it means a couple of things. 1. you are incompetent, and 2. the top AF command doesn't agree with it's mission and they are stonewalling you. That being the case, might be time to consider getting the fuck out - it's not going to get ant better, Bobby.

[Dr.Phool]

6. They think their primary mission is to fight for Jesus in Colorado.

[Tempest]

7. As Sec of Defense, isn't Gates in charge of the Air Force?

If he can't get the AF leaders to comply, he can get rid of them.

Sounds like he's looking for a scapegoat.

[Jacobin]

16. One would think so

All the screw ups are someone else's fault, I suppose. SOP

[ckramer]

8. Does he mean this?

[ensho]

10. they are bombing something nearly every day and he wants more!

Iraq is covered from one end to another with DU poison

[w8liftinglady]

11. you're right..see below..lazy damn Air Force

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123094117
UAV destroys mortar position, kills 6
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123094071
UAV kills 6 heavily armed enemy combatants in Iraq
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123093664
UAV kills 2 enemy combatants
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123093284
April 6 airpower summary: Reaper destroys target
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123093196
April 5 airpower summary: C-17s carry the load
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123093185
April 3 airpower summary
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123092881
April 2 airpower summary: C-130s carry load for coalition
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123092498
March 31 airpower summary: C-17s provide heavy airlift
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123092104
March 27 airpower summary: A-10s destroy enemy targets

[acmavm]

12. Yep! We haven't been dropping bombs on 'em fast enough!

Kill 'em all, they we can free access to all the oil.

:sarcasm:

[The Traveler]

13. LOL! Bombers and fighters they have aplenty

over there. Gates wants recon aircraft ... very high dollar resources. Not many of them. Tightly controlled. Always heavily tasked. Difficult to replace. And operating over there is tough on airplanes ... dust and sand gets everywhere. Yeah ... I bet the Air Force is being stingy with those resources.

[InkAddict]

14. From what I remember hearing, the AF was very, very busy...

praying and evangelizing when they weren't baptizing w/bombs.

Maybe he's tired of singin the hymns: Gimme that old-tyme religion, gimme that old-tyme religion, gimme that old-tyme religion - it's good enough for me.

Or is he trying to say the AF isn't into those old-fashioned ground games like rape, looting, pillaging, and torture that make big headlines for the other guys???

[maddezmom]

15. Pentagon chief seeks more drones in Iraq for intel

Pentagon chief seeks more drones in Iraq for intel
Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:46pm EDT Email | Print | Share| Reprints | Single Page| Recommend (-) <-> Text <+> Related News
Air Force disciplines 5 for Thunderbird contract
17 Apr 2008
Military’s space demands keep topping supply
09 Apr 2008

powered by Sphere
Featured Broker sponsored link
Free Practice Account from #1 FX Broker. By Kristin Roberts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered the Pentagon to find ways to speed drones and other unmanned surveillance systems to Iraq despite Air Force reluctance to take pilots off missions.

Gates said on Monday he had tried for months to get more unmanned aircraft to Iraq, used to locate targets and warn ground troops of an approaching threat, but that he hit resistance inside the Pentagon.

"My concern is that our services are still not moving aggressively in wartime to provide resources needed now on the battlefield," Gates told officers at the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base.

He indicated the Air Force's desire to use pilots for its missions had kept the Defense Department from employing more effective, lower-cost unmanned aerial vehicles.

"Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it's been like pulling teeth," he said. "While we've doubled this capability in recent months, it is still not good enough."

more:http://www.reuters.com/article/gc05/idUSN2142373720080421