Tanker contract relates to NATO

Boeing's loss of the new Air Force tanker contract to EADS (Airbus) on the merits is defensible. The EADS tanker is larger, has more fuel, cargo and passenger capacity. And with the Northrup component, many jobs will be created in Alabama to assemble the tanker.

The disconnect is the contract will allow EADS, which has a French and German government ownership stake, a major cash infusion to assist EADS to further subsidize their commercial Airbus business to the detriment of Boeing's ongoing commercial airliner development.

However, there is even a larger disconnect. This contract is going to pay two European "powers" to build a plane that will further absolve Germany and France from living up to their NATO commitments, i.e. Afghanistan, by allowing the United States to continue to project force in places that should be in the purview of our NATO allies. Save for the British, Dutch, Canadians and Australians, our NATO allies are willing to take our treasure but not expend their blood in the cause for which NATO was devised.

Sometimes the best deal is no deal at all.

Steve Sarich

Grayslake