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Blago tells military he'll block fighter wing move
Associated Press07/11/2005 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich put the Pentagon on formal notice Monday that he will not approve its proposed move of F-16 fighter aircraft from the 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield to Indiana. In a letter sent to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the governor argued that under federal law if he does not consent to the realignment, the change can not legally be made. Blagojevich said that without the F-16 fighters in Springfield, the 183rd Fighter Wing at Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport would no longer have a flying mission, even though the state needs it for dealing with potential threats to homeland security. Pentagon spokesman Glenn Flood said the Defense Department has abided by the law in making its realignment recommendation and that it expects its plan to stand. He said the Pentagon asked Justice Department lawyers to begin reviewing the issue last week. The Pentagon plan -- part of a national base-closings effort -- is under review by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, which will prepare a final list of base closings by Sept. 8 for President Bush to review. Blagojevich also formally notified the commission of his decision not to give his consent to the Springfield realignment. Nov. 7 is the deadline for Bush to certify the commission list and submit it to Congress, which has 45 days to pass a motion of disapproval or the commission's list becomes law. This comes on the heels of the 111th Fighter Wing in Philadelphia, Pennesylvania being dissolved by the Department of Defense and the Governer of Pennesylvania declaring that the National Guard is the equivalent of the State Militia and therefore not under the direction of the Department of Defense. Neither Governer has any say-so in this matter. The Department of Defense can do as it pleases. This puts lie to the assertion by Second Ammendment opponents that the National Guard IS the Militia. The Department of Defense owns all the weapons and equipment of the National Guard as well as all the training facilites and a lot of the actual facilities where these units are located. All the Feds have to do is take away the "toys", deny traing, and close the bases. There would be no more National Guard. That's why it's called the NATIONAL Guard. The President can Federalize the National Guard at any time. Not so with a true State Militia Posted by: Deacon Blues 2005-07-12 |
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