Defense Secretary Gates Says Air Force Must Step Up Efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan


WASHINGTON — In unusually blunt terms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday challenged the Air Force, whose leaders are under fire on several fronts, to contribute more to immediate wartime needs and to promote new thinking.

Gates singled out the use of pilotless surveillance planes, in growing demand by commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan, as an example of how the Air Force and other services must act more aggressively.

Gates has been trying for months to get the Air Force to send more unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, like the Predator drone that provides real-time surveillance video, to the battlefield. They are playing an increasing role in disrupting insurgent efforts to plant roadside bombs.

“Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it’s been like pulling teeth,” Gates said of his prodding. “While we’ve doubled this capability in recent months, it is still not good enough.”

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Gates’ complaint about struggling to get more drone aircraft to the battlefield was aimed not only at the Air Force but at the military as a whole.

What in THE HELL, is this shit? God Damn it, WE were on the same side, at one time. I have nothing but respect for OUR military, but it seems that when some are “promoted” to Washington D.C., they join the 535 dullards we already have sitting on their asses and become bureaucratic assholes schoomzing, rather then taking take of our people with their asses on the line.

Stop this shit…NOW!

Read the rest at Fox News

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