Okay, first of all, I already support cutting back the Pentagon budget, provided no US troops are in combat, and it done the right way. This isn't be done the RIGHT way.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ent-war-needs/
Quote:
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Among the programs that might be targeted are littoral combat ships, the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter and certain missile defense systems.
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But, according to this article, there are over 25,000 jobs in the United States that directly or indirectly work with the F-22. Thats a lot of people that are going to be laid off.
Quote:
WASHINGTON, April 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Association
of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today denounced the decision by U.S.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates to end funding for the F-22, the
next-generation fighter aircraft that would have assured U.S. air superiority
for years to come.
"Not only is the decision to cut funding for the F-22 shortsighted militarily,
but our economy can ill afford to disperse the thousands of aerospace jobs
required to design, construct and maintain aircraft of this caliber," said IAM
President Tom Buffenbarger. "We simply cannot afford to cannibalize our
national defense to repair damage caused by reckless financial institutions
and greed-crazed corporate executives."
More than 2,000 Lockheed Martin workers, many represented by the IAM, assemble
the F-22 Raptor at the company's facility in Cobb County, Georgia. In addition
to jobs directly related to production and assembly, as many as 25,000 jobs
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http://www.reuters.com/article/press...09+PRN20090406
Lockheed claims around 95,000 people are involved in the project.
Quote:
Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin is trying to continue production of the F-22 fighter jet, the most expensive aircraft in U.S. history, as the Obama administration reviews weapons programs for possible cuts.
During the past three weeks, Lockheed bought daily newspaper advertisements that focused on 1,000 companies and 95,000 workers dependent on the project.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...yfU&refer=home
Not exactly a 'good' idea to cut something like that if its going to affect over 1,000 companies and around 100,000 workers.