Pentagon halts sale of F-14 parts to Iran...

Thread on the original story from yesterday...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=75277

Here is what happened today:

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Tuesday it had halted sales of spare parts from its recently retired F-14 fighter jet fleet, even as lawmakers pledged tougher oversight of the military's surplus sales to stop buyers for Iran and other countries from acquiring gear.

Sales of F-14 parts were suspended last Friday pending a comprehensive review, said Defense Logistics Agency spokesman Jack Hooper said.

"It was the prudent thing to do," he said.

The review will examine Pentagon policy for handling the spare parts and determine what should be done with them "in light of the current situation with Iran," Hooper said. Iran, currently at odds with the United States and other countries over its suspected nuclear weapons program, among other issues, is the only nation still flying the F-14 Tomcat.

The decision drew immediate praise from Congress.

"This is an appropriate and necessary short-term step to solving this problem," said Rep. Christopher Shays (news, bio, voting record), R-Conn., a longtime critic of security gaps in Pentagon surplus sales. The Defense Department, he said, "needs a comprehensive review of its entire surplus sales operation to ensure that we aren't arming our own adversaries, selling them equipment we still need at bargain prices."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070131/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_surplus_stings_16

The Pentagon doesn't want to risk seeing Tomcats flying anywhere,anytime baby.