House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) believes military readiness is in jeopardy, as well (see above). Army and Marine Corps leaders appeared before his panel Tuesday, citing equipment shortfalls that have led to training deficiencies. Skelton targeted President Bush’s planned escalation of US ground forces in Iraq, when he declared that the increase would simply exacerbate readiness difficulties and “limit our ability to fight the war on terror.” He said, “I am convinced a 20,000 troop increase is too little far too late to make a difference in Iraq’s security, this is a trade-off I cannot support.”
The U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…