Levin doesn’t think much of the Bush Administration’s vow to veto the 2006 defense authorization bill. In fact, he thinks it’s bluster. The White House says it will nix the bill unless Congress excises references to new standards for treatment of detainees in the war on terror. No way, said the Democrat, because it would make the Administration look terrible politically. “No matter what the threat is, to veto a bill like that … is a false threat.” He added, “I don’t think [the Administration] will.”
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.