DoD OCO Requests $700M for Bombs and Ammo

As the congressional oversight panels continue their review of the Pentagon’s $58.6 billion 2015 Overseas Contingency Operations budget request, much of the focus has been on the high-profile items, such as a $4 billion request for a new counterterrorism fund and $1 billion to boost US military presence in Europe. But the request includes $53 billion…

Is the A-10 Right for Iraq?

The fight over the A-10 may have been thrown a screwball this week, thanks to the sudden, dramatic surge from ISIL forces as they have overwhelmed whole chunks of Iraqi territory. The battle over the future of the A-10 has largely centered around the Air Force’s argument that the plane doesn’t match future needs in…

Air Guard Reminds Us, The A-10 Is Still Flying

The Air National Guard loves the A-10 Warthog, that’s no secret. After all, the Guard and Reserve fly more than 150 of the 340-plus aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory. Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced something we all knew was coming: The Air Force wants to retire the entire A-10 fleet of…

GOP Hawks Blame Fallujah’s Fall on Obama — But Oppose Inserting US Troops

The White House will speed delivery of weapons to the Iraqi military after al-Qaida fighters captured Fallujah — and congressional Republicans are eager to pin the city’s fall on President Barack Obama Senate GOP hawks John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were quick to react to reports that extremist forces had…