Who Needs Modern Airpower?
“The biggest cuts should come in the three advanced tactical and
Joint Strike Fighter aircraft: the Air Force’s F-22, the Navy’s F-18,
and the shared F-35. The Pentagon plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars
over the next two decades on these planes, which are designed to replace older
models that are already superior to anything any other country can put in the
air.”—New York Times editorial, Feb. 5.
Cruise Missile Threat
“I have argued for years that it is only a matter of time before our deployed
forces, or our homeland, will be attacked by cruise missiles. They are spreading,
and they are for sale.”—Secretary of the Air Force James G.
Roche, speech at Center for Strategic and International Studies, Jan. 21.
Je Ne Regrette Rien
“I’m too old to have regrets. No, I don’t regret it.”—Secretary
of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, asked about his earlier comments on “Old
Europe” and “New Europe,” Reuters, Feb. 6.
But Amends Are in Sight
“The American Administration cannot stay too long in the eyes of its own
public opinion on such bad terms with one of its oldest allies.”—French
Defense Minister Michele Alliot–Marie, telling the National Assembly she
perceives a US desire “to turn the page,” Agence France–Presse,
quoted by Washington Times, Jan. 22.
Closing In
“We have a variety of intelligence and we’re sure we’re going
to catch Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar this year.”—Lt. Col.
Bryan Hilferty, US Army spokesman in Afghanistan, New York Daily News, Jan. 30.
Hustler Not Embedded
“We find that there is no constitutional right for the media to embed with
US military forces in combat.”—US appeals court on lawsuit
by publisher Larry Flynt, seeking access for Hustler magazine correspondents
to US troops in Afghanistan, UPI, Feb. 4.
Fast Forgiveness ...
“I, as president of Pakistan, have decided to pardon Dr. A.Q. Khan who is
our national hero but he has made mistakes, which is unfortunate.”—President
Pervez Musharraf, one day after Khan acknowledged leaking nuclear arms secrets
to Iran, Libya, and North Korea, Reuters, Feb. 5.
... And Broader Involvement?
“Nobody in Pakistan believes Qadeer Khan just woke up one day and decided
to sell the nuclear secrets on his own. [He] is being made a scapegoat to cover
up the involvement of military leaders.”—Former Pakistani Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto, Washington Times, Feb. 15.
Army Too Small
“I have been in the Army 39 years, and I’ve never seen the Army as
stretched in that 39 years as I have today.”—Lt. Gen. John
M. Riggs, director of the Army’s Objective Force Task Force, Baltimore Sun,
Jan. 21.
Accusation of AWOL
“I look forward to that debate, when John Kerry, a war hero with a chest
full of medals, is standing next to George Bush, a man who was AWOL [during Air
National Guard service]. George Bush never served in our military in our country.
He didn’t show up when he should have showed up.”—Terry
McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, quoted in New York
Times, Feb. 2.
Jane Fonda Outraged
“Any attempts to link Kerry to me and to make him look bad with that connection
is completely false. We were at a rally for veterans at the same time. I spoke.
Donald Sutherland spoke. John Kerry spoke at the end. ... How can you impugn,
how can you even suggest that a Vietnam veteran like John Kerry, or any of them,
are not patriotic?”—Jane Fonda, responding to publication of
a photo of Presidential candidate Kerry and Fonda at a 1970 rally of Vietnam
Veterans Against the War, CNN, Feb. 11.
Separate Defenses
“We don’t know if the United States will have forever the resources,
or the interest, to defend Europe.”—Gen. Gustav Hagglund of
Finland, chairman of the European Union military committee, on why Europeans
need their own defense programs, Reuters, Jan. 20.
The Undead Walk
“It actually said I’d died.”—Army Chief of Staff
Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker on official notice of his death, sent to his home after
his name dropped from the retired payroll when he was recalled to active duty,
Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 11.
Backlash for Bin Laden
“The biggest price we have paid is that we have lost the high ground. While
Bush has led the war on terror, it has become a chief recruiter for al Qaeda.”—Kenneth
Roth, director of Human Rights Watch, London Times, Jan. 22.
Union Busting
“What on Earth does any of this have to do with national security? In fact,
in times as perilous as these, sticking it to defense workers will only serve
to disenfranchise a workforce that has served the nation honorably throughout
its history and continues to do so during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This is, without a doubt, nothing but flat-out union busting by Rumsfeld and
his cronies who know, in many cases, that it is union members who are the watchdogs
over private contract abuses.”—John Gage, president of the
American Federation of Government Employees, on Defense Department proposals
for Civil Service reform, Feb. 9.