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Unreasonable People
Refueling the Airbus. Lacking Nobelity. Mark Foley. Marco Rubio. Plus more.
TANKER SORES
Re: Quin Hillyer’s
Pentagon in the Tanker:
The pending decision by the Pentagon on building the next generation of U.S. tankers is kicking up quite a bit of dust. The current fleet of tankers was built when Eisenhower was president, “American Bandstand” was the MTV of the bobby-sox generation, and Elvis was king. Some of these aging, decrepit tankers are now flown by the grandchildren of their original pilots.
Quin Hillyer argues in The American Spectator for splitting the tanker contract between Boeing and French-based Airbus. Why the rush to judgment when neither company has even submitted a bid yet? Hillyer, who has written editorials for Alabama newspapers, seems to want Airbus’s promised manufacturing facility in Alabama. But he also accuses Boeing of alleged and unsubstantiated corruption in the pending contract’s requirements.
This takes a lot of chutzpah from an advocate of Airbus. Airbus, after all, was caught red-handed selling planes that could be retrofitted for military use to Hugo Chavez, and lying about it. An Airbus agent extradited to Germany in August on bribery charges also stands accused of bribing Canadian officials to give Airbus a $1.8 billion contract with its national airline.
The World Trade Organization found last month that Airbus provided over $15 billion in illegal government subsidies for its aircraft in open violation of international trade law. This included billions in illegal subsidies for the A-330, the very plane it proposes as the new tanker. The Pentagon should factor these subsidies into its decision. It is utter insanity for the U.S. Trade Representative’s office to be suing Airbus in court for violating the law and then have the Pentagon reward this illegal behavior.
Some have criticized the fact that Boeing received pricing data on the A-330. This is a distortion. Boeing protested the awarding of the tanker contract to Airbus in 2008. In a major embarrassment, the General Accounting Office found numerous unfair advantages granted to Airbus and reversed it. That is how pricing data became known — the reversal of an unfair contract.
Our war fighters on the front lines in Afghanistan, Iraq, and
elsewhere in the global war on terror need a 21st century
tanker. These aircraft need to be built in a way that
protects U.S. economic and national security, and does not reward
illegal trade practices by a French-based manufacturer.
— George Landrith
President
Frontiers of Freedom
Quin Hillyer replies:
All of this Airbus stuff is a red herring. Airbus never
cheated on THIS project, and Northrop is going to assemble the
plane here in the U.S. Meanwhile, what Boeing doesn’t say is that
almost as much of its plane’s parts will come from Europe (as if
that’s an awful thing, which it’s not) as the Northrop plane
parts. I know people representing European companies who will be
providing parts for whichever one of them wins. Meanwhile, the
key idea here is that with another 400 planes needing to be built
even after this contract is completely finished, the benefits of
splitting the contract can be substantial. What I object to, as a
veteran of procurement wars, is the vicious public campaign
Boeing has run throughout the process. If Boeing had a better
plane, it would not have leaned so heavily on politics.
PAX OBAMA
Re: Larry Thornberry’s
Revenge of the Norwegian Nerds:
Excellent musings by Mr. Thornberry, but one sentiment
stands out and says it all. “Mr. Obama has much to be
modest about but does not seem to realize it.” I have
always thought that those like Obama who have not an inkling of
self-introspection about their mediocrity are happier than those
who tend to over emphasize their shortcomings. Perhaps so,
but honesty and realism do have their virtues. Also in
a President of the U.S., Obama’s false self-importance is
extremely dangerous to the security of not only those
of us in the U.S. but of the world.
— Jack Wheatley
Royal Oak, Michigan
Pax Obama? How about Pox Obama?
By the way, I appreciate the positive-thinking, prophetic
statement that “when Obama leaves office in 2013.” That’s
predicated, though, on whether we have elections in 2012, isn’t
it?
— C. Kenna Amos Jr.
Princeton , West Virginia
International tensions are high. The situation calls for Hope.
An even more disheveled mess is the state of affairs of the
Washington Redskins. Perhaps Dan Snyder could sign President
Obama to a one day contract. President Obama could lead the team
onto the field. President Obama could give a rousing halftime
locker room speech. Should the Redskins manage to score a
touchdown, President Obama might even hold for the extra point.
Can there be any doubt that the Associated Press would vote him
NFL Rookie of the Year?
— Dan Martin
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
UNWELCOME GIFT
Letter to the Editor View all comments (24) | Leave a comment
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Paul DeSisto| 10.13.09 @ 10:14AM
Re: M. Tomlinson's comment about the NJ governor's race: The far-left New Jersey Star Ledger on Sunday endorsed Daggett, the 3rd party candidate. Their main rational was that the NJ Democrats are corrupt (very true), and the NJ Republicans incompetent (problematic). Frankly, I believe the paper endorsed Daggett to take votes away from Christie, to help Corzine. This may seem cynical, but given the Star-Ledger's track record of slavish support of all things and people Democrat it is a reasonable position.
Paul DeSisto
Cedar Grove, NJ
A. Brooks| 10.13.09 @ 8:45PM
"By the way, I appreciate the positive-thinking, prophetic statement that "when Obama leaves office in 2013." That's predicated, though, on whether we have elections in 2012, isn't it?"
I repost this as it sums up my view of Obama:
You are making the same mistake in underestimating Obama that I did in underestimating Clinton. Not only was Clinton reelected, but his Veep ran for POTUS in 2000, and his wife is today SecState. I want to be a conservative, not a chump-on-wheels.
besides, opposition, as I will be repeating for the next 7 years, to Clinton is what fueled the economy from January '93- Nov '94 (Gingrich).
George Hanshaw| 10.13.09 @ 2:12PM
Quin Hillyer's assertion that
Airbus never cheated on THIS project, .... is very interesting. Since it is clear that they DID cheat on the A330 (The WTO has already ruled upon this) and Airbus is proposing the A330 for its candidate aircraft, his assertion would seem to wrong on the face of it. Or perhaps he is just asserting that they have not yet cheated on this most recent RFP which, since no bids have yet been called for, is self-evidently true - if irrelevant.
His assertion that
benefits of splitting the (buy between both contractors) can be substantial is ludicrous to anyone who is aware of the costs of operating government equipment. Each different aircraft requires its own parts supply line - depot maintenance arrangement - aircrew and maintenance personnel training systems - and this is well known to all operators.
I understand that every columnist can't be all-knowing, but we could forgive Mr. Hillyer's abysmal ignorance a little easier if he were less arrogant and more willing to learn from the expertise of others in areas where he appears particularly weak.
Etiquette Man| 10.14.09 @ 12:27AM
Hear, hear, Mr. Hanshaw!
This is not an isolated incident, unfortunately.
Mr. Hilyer rarely lets facts interfere with the pursuit of his predetermined conclusions. When his instincts are right--i.e. when his conclusions can be inferred from other evidence, if not the evidence he offers--one is tempted to pass over his faulty reasoning in silence in order not to seem to be attacking a thesis with which one agrees.
In the current case, however, both his conclusion and the evidence adduced in support are faulty.
You are quite right to call him on it, forcefully. Mr. Hilyer's powerful intellect is limited principally by a certain inelegant and reflexive rigidity.
Alan Brooks| 10.13.09 @ 8:43PM
"By the way, I appreciate the positive-thinking, prophetic statement that "when Obama leaves office in 2013." That's predicated, though, on whether we have elections in 2012, isn't it?"
You are making the same mistake in underestimating Obama that I did in underestimating Clinton. Not only was Clinton reelected, but his Veep ran for POTUS in 2000, and his wife is today SecState. I want to be a conservative, not a chump-on-wheels.
besides, opposition, as I will be repeating for the next 7 years, to Clinton is what fueled the economy from January '93- Nov '94
Unsigned| 10.13.09 @ 9:53PM
Reader Mail
Unreasonable People
Re: Quin Hillyer's Pentagon in the Tanker:
And Comments by George Landrith, President
Frontiers of Freedom
Before I comment on remarks by the author(s) I feel the need to disclose my own prior involvement with JPATS procurement as well as family employed by Northrop.
Personal experience with the procurement process has permanently affected my thought process. I will now and forevermore look upon governance and question what bureaucratic and political considerations (or worse - i.e., illegal activities ) outside the outlined contract bid request, entered in to the decision making process.
15 - KC-X Aerial Refueling Tanker Aircraft
Solicitation Number: FA8625-07-R-6470
Based on publicly available information I have concluded that the Boeing Aircraft Proposal is the best replacement for the KC-135. I arrived at this conclusion with great ease and completely disagree with the notion of a split contract. Normally a defense of opinion would be offered at this juncture. However - what leaps out at me - Is how quickly I concluded that the Boeing 767 was the better replacement for the KC135 and yet Mr. Hillyer is so dramatically Pro-EADS. I am left with more questions about Mr. Hillyer’s motives than about the contest itself. I do not wish to infer, intone or slander but the gulf is really wide. To protect my own family member from ridicule; I will leave this post unsigned. Mr. Hillyer you are welcome to Email me your thoughts directly. Given that I must provide an email address to post this comment.
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CHOPPERGIRL | 10.20.09 @ 12:26AM
We don't need any more war machines. This million dollar pork barrel crap ends up rotting out in the desert in ten years after it becomes obsolete. The only purpose an aerial tanker has is to refuel bombers and fighters while still in the air. Bombers and fighters have been proven to KILL PEOPLE. They are dangerous, expensive, and need to be outlawed.
I can think of a million BETTER things to spend millions of dollars on than a fleet of flying gas stations.
www.us-bapeoutlet.com | 4.5.10 @ 9:29PM
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