Dem Senator Trying to Block F-14 Parts from being sold to Iran!

[cynatnite]

WASHINGTON - A Democratic senator is trying to block the Pentagon from selling spare parts from its recently retired F-14 fleet that are coveted by Iran.

Sen. Ron Wyden (news, bio, voting record)'s bill came in response to an investigation by The Associated Press that found weaknesses in surplus-sale security that allowed buyers for countries including Iran and China to obtain sensitive U.S. military equipment including Tomcat parts.

The Oregon Democrat's legislation would ban the Defense Department from selling surplus F-14 parts and prohibit buyers who have already acquired surplus Tomcat parts from exporting them. Wyden's bill, the Stop Arming Iran Act, is co-sponsored by the Senate's No. 2 lawmaker, Democratic Whip Richard Durbin (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois.

"It just defies common sense to be making this kind of equipment available to the Iranians with all that they have done that is against our interests," Wyden said Monday in an interview, adding that constituents brought up the surplus-sale security problems at his town-hall meetings over the past few days. "I just want to legislate this and cut it off permanently, once and for all."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070129/ap_on_go_co/military_surplus_stings

[Parche]

1. Wyden

That is my Senator Ron Wyden D-OR!!!!!!!


You go Ron!!!!!

[Straight Shooter]

16. Mine, too!

:patriot:

[Chimichurri]

2. War is our major export.

[rockymountaindem]

3. There needs to be legislation against this?

The DoD would seriously consider allowing these parts to be exported? Holy cow...

[walldude]

6. Parts are being sold in lots, to brokers who are

then selling them to Iran. The funny thing is it came up as part of an investigation to figure out where Iran was getting the parts. The investigators got ahold of some parts and when they traced their origin they figured out the parts came from... The Pentagon.

[ContraBass Black]

4. Is it normal for an arms dealer to supply both sides of a conflict

When he himself is one of the sides?

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Considerig that whole Military-Industrial Complex thing, of course it's

normal.

The more stuff both sides have, the more of each other's stuff they can blow up, and the more stuff will need replacement. What part of win-win don't you get?

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Well, shit, the war won't be any fun

if they can't fight back.

[halobeam]

8. LOL

keep your sense of humor or your (and mine) head will EXPLODE!:rofl:

RECOMMENDED.

[IronScorpio5]

9. I'm sure.....

iran wants those parts for purely non-military purposes....just like their nuclear reactor.

yup, seeing the poorly misunderstood iran with nukes and fully functioning f-14's is great. That'll keep the rest of area in line.


/ sarcasm

[librechik]

10. hey if we don't sell em parts, how can we accuse them of having them?

duh

[rocktivity]

11. Sorry, I've misplaced my scorecard

Isn't the US, like, mad at them or something?

:headbang:
rocknation

[thereismore]

12. The gall. The posturing. We all know he would rather send them

whole F-14's for some tropical fruit. Mangoes we got, I take it.
:sarcasm:

[PFunk]

13. Since Iran and Russia have such and good relationship ecconomic-wise...

...Why don't they trade those F-14 to the russians and buy some SU-27's instead (It's a better deal IMO).

[MazeRat7]

14. Explain to me why they [the gvmt] can ignore the "embargoed countries" list...

Last time I checked (about 2 weeks ago) the most restricted destinations for exports are the embargoed countries and those countries designated as supporting terrorist activities, including Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. (per the DOC)

So how is it our government can get around this list and US corporations can not ? If this is another case of the rules don't apply, then I would like to know why this is not used in court when public corporations are fined (with possible loss of export rights) for doing exactly the same thing.

MZr7

[Bucky]

15. This is what grandstanding is for. Please please please slime them with this!

Aiding and abedding the enemy. Traitors!

Let's get hysterical on this one. It'll be fun to watch.