Japan’s cabinet has approved the use of about 200 air force support elements in Iraq through July 31, 2008. In May, Japanese legislators passed a measure that would permit the airlift mission to continue for another two years.
Aircraft readiness will suffer if Congress does not approve some $1.5 billion worth of spare parts the Air Force requested in its annual Unfunded Priorities List, sent to Capitol Hill last week, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said.