Our F-15, the air superiority fighter that we relied upon for almost double its designed life span is no longer capable of doing the job against the fifth generation fighters that are being introduced by potential enemies, and is falling apart. Its replacement, the F-22 is fully capable of doing the job and restoring our security.

Congress is very capable of complaining about the costs of this aircraft. They also are experts at ignoring the reasons for cost increases and over runs.

From an Air force supporting publication, “The Air Force says it needs the F-22 to replace its aging fleet of fighters, and for its superior speed, weapons, and stealth properties.”

And, “When you look at total cost, this is $1.7 billion more than they expected. Of that $1.7 billion, about $.7 billion is for the four additional aircraft and about a billion dollars is because we’re stretching this out,” said Walker. “You know, this program, depending upon how you want to calculate it, is anywhere from two to 15 years late, and now we’re making it later.”

Compared to the Congressional destruction of out ability to defend ourselves, This whole financial fiasco is only a minor error by the Carter and Clinton Democrats with their “Community Reinvestment act of 1977″ which required these failing mortgages and provided a government guarantee to entice the bankers to make these bad loans.

Procuring the originally requested number of F-22 aircraft would have two benefits. First, it would restore our security. Second, it would provide a good stimulus to the economy very quickly. Military expenditures for equipment that has been designed, and for which the production line is running, have a tendency to place money quickly into the economy.

The members of Congress who created this problem should be deported to Afghanistan or Pakistan without delay.