Air Force Must Do More in War Efforts

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Air Force is not doing enough to help in the Iraq and Afghanistan war effort. He complained that some military leaders are stuck in the old ways of doing business. He also said that getting the military services, largely the Air Force, to send more unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan has been like pulling teeth. He addressed officer students at the Air Force's Air University. He did praise the Air Force for its overall contributions but made a point of urging it to do more and to undertake new and creative ways of thinking about helping the war effort instead of focusing mainly on future threats. He also included a broad appeal to the entire military. The Army, Navy and Marine Corps have been expanding their fleets of drone aircraft.