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| Sen. Craig Clears Some (not all) Air Force Promotions |
| 2003-06-12 |
| Followup to last week's news. EFL. Idaho Sen. Larry Craig cleared the way for the Senate to approve the promotions of 127 Air Force captains and majors, but will continue to stall promotions of higher-ranking officers in a showdown over planes for the Air National Guard in his state. Relenting to requests from the White House, Craig's staff processed paperwork releasing the 127 nominees Wednesday night and they were scheduled for a Senate vote Thursday, said Will Hart, a spokesman for the Idaho Republican. "Senator Craig is still reserving his right on the rest of these holds until we are able to come to a conclusion," Hart said. "I'm not finished shaking these people down!" Hart said holds remain in place on 85 colonels and generals, including Maj. Gen. John W. Rosa Jr., who was picked to lead the Air Force Academy. Some Senate officials have put the number of officers' nominations on hold at nearly 400. Senate rules allow any senator to delay action indefinitely on a nomination sent by the president for Senate confirmation. Craig put the holds on the Air Force promotions nearly three weeks ago and vowed to stall them until the Air Force honors a commitment to add four C-130 transport planes to complete a squadron at Gowen Air National Guard Base in Boise. Some call this blackmail, some call it politics. Craig said he had worked in the past several years to secure $40 million in construction at the air base in anticipation of the planes being relocated. The additional planes would bolster the Boise air field's standing in the coming round of military base closures scheduled for 2005. Craig met with Air Force Secretary James G. Roche and White House representatives who acted as arbiters in the dispute, but no resolution was reached and there have been no meetings since. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has made it clear that the president wants the nominations to proceed. "That's in part why the senator released the lower ranks of this field grade list in deference to the White House position, but they are working with us, so that is a positive," Hart said. The senator also has delayed the confirmation of Gen. Robert Foglesong, selected to head the U.S. Air Forces in Europe; and Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who commanded allied air forces during the Iraq war and would replace Foglesong as Air Force vice chief of staff. Time to send Larry another e-mail to let him know just how much we appreciate his jerking around the guys who fought the war for us. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 ...What's sad to me is that I know John Rosa - I worked for him when he was commanding the 20th FW at SHaw AFB, SC - if anybody could clean up that mess that's developed at the USAFA, he could - but every day they keep him away will be one more day for that crowd of idiots there to close ranks. And when things keep being found, the media will blame MGen Rosa - not Senator Craig, who obviously couldn't care less. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2003-06-13 01:19:23 |
| #7 Give him the grounded C-130 early mods that were flying fire retardant. You got your planes, so STFU. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-06-12 15:58:37 |
| #6 Give him the c-130's. Parts,what parts.Nobody said anything about parts. |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-06-12 15:32:20 |
| #5 It's an astonishingly good thing that the US military is so loyal. The clowns in Washington seem hell-bent on insulting, injuring, and making life miserable for active duty, retired,and reserve service members and their dependents. If those folk were any less loyal to the CONSTITUTION, they'd do some serious butt-kicking in Washington. Some of these idiots should be reminded that the military are the people with the best knowledge of how and when to fight. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-06-12 14:19:15 |
| #4 That letter was the first step before descending into the gutter. Always give them an out before you corner them and start applying RR spikes. Heh heh. Besides, I can lay it on thick too, LOL. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-06-12 13:55:48 |
| #3 AP. You're much smoother than I am. I would have told him to stay away from the people who are deserving of the promotions he's tying up, becuase they might just drive a railroad spike through his thick skull. I would if I were one of them. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2003-06-12 13:38:49 |
| #2 I was outraged by Sen. Craig's manipulations! Here is what I sent him by e-mail: Dear Senator Craig: I am outraged at your tying the promotions of many military personnel up for a few C-130s. It is important for the good of the people that defend us that we treat them fairly based upon their merit. Tying these two issues together is politics at its worst. I do not know the merits of the case for additional C-130s for Idaho, but holding hundreds of military promotions hostage is as low as the behavior of Turkey towards the US when they were holding out for more money to let us pass through on the way to Iraq. I am sure that you have done good things for the country and for your great state of Idaho. But this kind of politics makes voters and young people bitter and cynical toward our great system. It shows young people that politicians are backroom manipulators and not statesmen. How do I explain your actions to my son? Please reconsider your position and do the right thing and stop the politics. Respectfully, Paul Weisner, P.E. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-06-12 13:01:15 |
| #1 What the heck is it with the Senate, the water fountains? Why do they think they can hold up or stop nominations of the exec branch? You know, it might be time to start discussing unicameral again. We don't need a House of Lords. Even elected ones. |
| Posted by: Scott 2003-06-12 12:49:24 |