President Obama has threatened to veto the defense authorization bill if congress includes money for an alternate engine to power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. At a press roundtable this morning, Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he doesn't believe the White House threats:
[Levin] said he “can’t imagine” President Obama would veto the defense policy bill over the F136 engine. He strongly rebutted Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ recent claim that the F136 had been competed and the winner — Pratt & Whitney — won. “By the way, there’s never been a competition on that engine,” Levin said. “Did he [Gates] say there has been competition? Then he’s wrong.”
In totally expected news, Levin said the Senate will confirm Gen David Petraeus as Afghan commander (Petraeus will appear in front of the SASC tomorrow).
-- Greg Grant
