There may be a war raging in Afghanistan, and another one on slow burn in Iraq. But what the U.S. military really, really needs right now are more stealthy, $250 million dogfighting jets.
That appears to be the conclusion of at least 45 senators who have declared their intention to vote to keep production going on the stealth jet production line -- never mind the fact that the F-22 Raptors have never flown in conflict zone, and never mind the fact that the Commander-in-Chief as well as the Secretaries of Defense and the Air Force all say they've got plenty of the things.
The Project on Government Oversight is keeping close tabs on the impending vote. According to their tally, the Raptor's 45-and-counting supporters Senate supporters includes 19 Democrats. The 23 senators ready to stop F-22 production includes a lone Republican: John McCain. Another 32 are undecided.
President Obama is working bring the fence-sitters to his side. He's stated plainly that he "will veto any bill that supports acquisition of F-22s beyond the 187 already funded by Congress." It's a point I bet Pentagon boss Robert Gates very well may hammer home, in a speech in Obama's home town on Thursday.
[Photo: USAF]
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