[CPEO-MEF] CLOSURE: "Closing military bases: Common ground on the wrong front"

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

[Now is the time for Congress, the Defense Department, and environmental regulators to work together to ensure that closed bases can be productively reused promptly when their military missions end. In my view, major closures are inevitable. - LS]


Closing military bases: Common ground on the wrong front

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post
March 18, 2013

There is bipartisanship in Congress!

House Republicans and Democrats agree they are not going to let the Obama White House cut defense spending by permitting any more reduction in excess military facilities.

Fact: Nine years ago, the Air Force found more than 20 percent of its infrastructure was excess. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) made a cut of less than 1 percent. Since then, Air Force personnel have been cut by about 48,000 and the number of aircraft has dropped by 500. That’s similar to 10 bases, says one defense expert.

The Air Force needs to save more money, so it is seeking a new BRAC.

But Congress must approve it.

…

For the entire column, see
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/common-ground-on-the-wrong-front/2013/03/18/0d35f812-8da5-11e2-9838-d62f083ba93f_story.html

You may need to copy and paste the link.

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Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650-961-8918 or 650-969-1545
Fax: 650-961-8918
LSiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org




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