It’s really hard to take all the “good news” and the “big win” recently in regard to Malmstrom AFB which is near Great Falls, Montana.
Earlier this month, the Air Force announced that they will remove a total of 50 missiles from the three missile bases (Malmstrom, F.E. Warren in Wyoming, and Minot in North Dakota) and place them in storage.
It’s kind of like when you take that TV or microwave and stick it in the corner of the garage or in the spare room – and forget about it.
The Associated Press reported at time, “The resulting launch-ready total of 400 Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missiles would be the lowest deployed ICBM total since the early 1960s.”
Today nine countries have nukes. Two more, Syria and Iran, would love to get their hands on them.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) called placing the 50 missiles in storage “a big win.”
The reason for reduction is the New START treaty that Montana’s U.S. Senators at the time (Max Baucus and Tester) supported. The Treaty was voted on during a lame duck session of Congress – which was foolish in many ways.
Back in May, the Great Falls Tribune asked readers if they supported the New START treaty and 60% said no. You see, most readers of the Great Falls Tribune know more about military and defense issues than Tester and Baucus.
Back in 2007, Malmstrom AFB had 50 missiles removed under the watch of Baucus, Tester, and Representative Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.).
Yesterday, Tester and U.S. Senator John Walsh (D-Mont.) announced, “the Air Force will evenly preserve nuclear missile silos across America’s three ICBM bases, including Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls.” They said this was “good news.”
So the three missile bases will each lose 16.66666666666667 missiles silos, if my math is correct, although they will keep them in “warm status.”
Wonderful.
It would be nice if one of the boys (including U.S. Representative Steve Daines, R-Mont.) who represent us in Washington, D.C would act just a little ticked off that their only Air Force base is losing part of its mission.
It’s hardly a “big win” and it’s certainly not “good news.” As the saying goes, “You can put lipstick on a pig…”
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