POGO Teams Up With McCain to Get Special Forces in Afghanistan More Helicopters
Believe it: photographs from the Project on Government Oversight that don’t show contractors behaving in a sexually crude manner. Instead, in a letter
Jul 31, 202022.6K Shares444.8K Views
Believe it: photographs from the Project on Government Oversight that don’t show contractors behaving in a sexually crude manner.
Instead, in a letter circulating to senators during final debate on next year’s defense appropriation, POGO’s good government watchdogs urge support for an effort by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee, to kill funding for unneeded C-17 transport planes in order to free up cash to purchase helicopters for Special Forces missions. Coming equipped with photographs of IED-ravaged MRAPs — the alternative to the helicopters for troop transport in Afghanistan’s hard-to-navigate terrain — the group’s Danielle Brian writes:
“„In particular, we are concerned, based on documents and photographs obtained by POGO and published in the press, that U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan lack sufficient heavy-lift helicopters for “white missions” to recruit and train local antiterrorist militias and engage the enemy in remote areas.[1] Without these helicopters, troops must use land vehicles, which are vulnerable to improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The full letter, obtained by TWI, follows after the jump, along with photos:
“„Dear Senator,
“„As you consider the FY 2010 Defense Appropriations bill, we ask that you support Senator John McCain’s Amendment 2580 to strike funding for unneeded C-17 cargo planes. Appropriating $2.5 billion for additional C-17s diverts money away from more urgent national security priorities.
“„In particular, we are concerned, based on documents and photographs obtained by POGO and published in the press, that U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan lack sufficient heavy-lift helicopters for “white missions” to recruit and train local antiterrorist militias and engage the enemy in remote areas.[1] Without these helicopters, troops must use land vehicles, which are vulnerable to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Of the last eleven deaths among U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan, eight have been caused by IEDs.[2] We understand that there is a serious allocation problem with helicopter assets, therefore the problem could be partially solved by reallocation, a situation one former Special Forces General described as “really foul.” We have included photographs of land vehicles destroyed in missions that would have been otherwise been performed with helicopters, had the resources been available.
“„The Senate is well aware of how this mission directly impacts our national security: last June Defense Secretary Gates testified to the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee that we must increase our Special Forces capabilities, including buying more aircraft to support their missions.[3] Knowing this, we believe that spending $2.5 billion on unwanted and unneeded C-17s is unconscionable and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
“„The Pentagon’s analyses have found that the 205 C-17s in the force and on order will sufficiently meet future airlift needs, even under the most stressing situations.
“„We urge you to support our troops in the field by supporting Senator McCain’s amendment to strike the earmark for C-17 spending from the FY 2010 Defense Appropriations bill.
“„Sincerely,
“„Danielle Brian
“„Executive Director
Rhyley Carney
Reviewer
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