US and Kyrgyz officials are about to wade into a second round of negotiations over the American military presence at Manas Air Base, reports Russian news agency ITAR-TASS. The new Kyrgyzstan leadership has been pressing for an increase in rental payments.
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.