Seven Years Of Rhetoric

by Steve Soto

Back in 2001:

Prowling the skies over Afghanistan in the months before President Bush took office, unmanned and unarmed Predator drones proved to be one of America's major successes in its frustrating hunt for Osama bin Laden.

But the promising aircraft remained grounded under the new administration until after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, say current and former U.S. officials who describe a paralyzing internal debate over finances, arming the drones with deadly missiles and concern over who would take the blame if something went wrong.

And now, billions of dollars later, with $12 billion going to Iraq and Afghanistan every month . . . .

The US defence secretary, Robert Gates, today fired the latest volley in his clash with the air force over equipment sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, criticising a branch of his own military as "stuck in old ways of doing business".

Gates has prodded the air force since last year to add more of the unmanned planes called Predators, which specialise in surveillance video, to the two war efforts. Predator capacity has increased to 22 from 12, but Gates said today that more progress is needed.

"Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it's been like pulling teeth" to secure more unmanned planes from the air force, Gates said in a speech to military university students.

Uh, Mr. Secretary, doesn't the Air Force report to, ah . . . . you?