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Sen. Craig Clears Some (not all) Air Force Promotions
Followup to last week's news. EFL.Idaho Sen. Larry Craig cleared the way for the Senate to approve the promotions of 127 Air Force captains and majors, but will continue to stall promotions of higher-ranking officers in a showdown over planes for the Air National Guard in his state. Relenting to requests from the White House, Craig's staff processed paperwork releasing the 127 nominees Wednesday night and they were scheduled for a Senate vote Thursday, said Will Hart, a spokesman for the Idaho Republican. "Senator Craig is still reserving his right on the rest of these holds until we are able to come to a conclusion," Hart said. "I'm not finished shaking these people down!" Hart said holds remain in place on 85 colonels and generals, including Maj. Gen. John W. Rosa Jr., who was picked to lead the Air Force Academy. Some Senate officials have put the number of officers' nominations on hold at nearly 400. Senate rules allow any senator to delay action indefinitely on a nomination sent by the president for Senate confirmation. Craig put the holds on the Air Force promotions nearly three weeks ago and vowed to stall them until the Air Force honors a commitment to add four C-130 transport planes to complete a squadron at Gowen Air National Guard Base in Boise. Some call this blackmail, some call it politics. Craig said he had worked in the past several years to secure $40 million in construction at the air base in anticipation of the planes being relocated. The additional planes would bolster the Boise air field's standing in the coming round of military base closures scheduled for 2005. Craig met with Air Force Secretary James G. Roche and White House representatives who acted as arbiters in the dispute, but no resolution was reached and there have been no meetings since. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has made it clear that the president wants the nominations to proceed. "That's in part why the senator released the lower ranks of this field grade list in deference to the White House position, but they are working with us, so that is a positive," Hart said. The senator also has delayed the confirmation of Gen. Robert Foglesong, selected to head the U.S. Air Forces in Europe; and Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who commanded allied air forces during the Iraq war and would replace Foglesong as Air Force vice chief of staff. Time to send Larry another e-mail to let him know just how much we appreciate his jerking around the guys who fought the war for us. Posted by: Steve White 2003-06-12 |
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