Defence procurement: Jim Travers drags Bush into it
Facts, research, who cares when one can bring Bush into an issue in order to discredit the government? The Toronto Star's Mr Travesty gets things very, very wrong.
Among those Harper is pleasing are O'Connor, the arms industry that until recently paid his lobbying fees, Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier, George W. Bush and, of course, Boeing. In buying everything from the [C-17] Globemasters to helicopters, ships and trucks, Harper ends a nasty dispute between O'Connor and Hillier and sends another strong signal south that, more than a friend, Canada is an ally.That is nonsense. The administration has been trying to stop C-17 procurement; it is Congress that is trying to extend it. From Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, April 5:
That's important to an increasingly isolated Bush administration. And it's a help to both the Pentagon and Boeing as they try to extend the slowing Globemaster production run as far as possible...
Senate appropriators on April 4 went a step further than their House counterparts to protect the C-17 aircraft, recommending $227.5 million toward advance procurement for more of the heavy lifters in fiscal 2008...Yet another demonstration of the utter ignorance of the Canadian media about defence issues. Pitiful.
The administration requested none of the above, as it is looking to halt production at 180 aircraft and spend the money elsewhere (DAILY, March 30). But Senate appropriators added their voices to the expected chorus of lawmakers who are concerned with the administration's plan...
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 9:39 a.m.
3 Comments:
Travers is also off the mark on his assesment of leasing lift. Yes, it may be cheaper but remember when the DART team was sitting waiting for lift as the rest of the world had priority over Canada? How about we lease it out to our allies when they need lift and we can make a buck or two to offset the cost?
When the next big disaster hits, and you know it will, Canada will be able to chip in as soon as WE free up the assets, not as soon as the leasing company says we can. That is how a soveriegn nation behaves.
This kind of stupid makes me want to bang my head off the wall.
A couple of points, VW:
- C-130's can be used for strat-lift purposes, but aren't suited to the job. Hillier's reasoning for being leery about dedicated strat-lift is the opportunity cost of such a purpose: what can't he get if he has to buy C-17's. As long as the gov't funds the rest of his needs adequately, he'll take the heavy airlift.
- Looking at the A400M would be a fantastic idea. Buying it would not be. Looking at a bunch of different options - shopping around - forces your one preferred supplier to sharpen their pencils and give you the best deal possible.
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