The Pentagon is balking at demands by Kyrgyzstan that the US military pay for past use of Manas Air Base, a hub for flights supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. (DR, 10/13/05) The country wants $80 million to compensate for previous payments made—arguing that fuel companies tied to former President Askar Akayev embezzled the money out of the country. DOD isn’t interested in paying for the same thing twice, however. “Any possible misappropriation of funds is an internal Kyrgyz matter,” Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman told the London Financial Times.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…