[CPEO-MEF] Natural Defense

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North Carolina
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Opinion Piece
Natural Defense

Don’t exempt military from environmental law

The Defense Department is making another push for a truly toxic idea.
Congress should turn it down, fast and firmly.

Pentagon officials are trying, for the second straight year, to persuade
lawmakers to exempt the military from provisions of clean air, clean
water and endangered species laws. The laws are getting in the way of
training, they say.

Given the skills we've seen on display in Iraq during the past few days,
and given what we already know about our armed forces' readiness, the
Pentagon will be hard-pressed to make a credible case. Rather, a good
case can be made that the military has been able to observe
environmental law and still conduct top-notch training.

That's not to say that there isn't the occasional inconvenience. Some
exercises must be moved, or rescheduled, to co-exist with important
species or natural resources. That happens to everyone. Among other
things, it teaches us to be flexible and creative, doing much more good
than harm. But it enhances, rather than diminishes, the quality of
training.

This editorial can be viewed at:
http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=opinion&Story=5530428

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