Afghan AF Disarray Threatens Senate Funding OK

The U.S. Air Force is planning to remain in Afghanistan until 2017 in an advisory role, but Congress's confidence in—and potential funding for—the young air force there is wavering.

The drastic funding cuts proposed by Senate appropriators—eliminating a second batch of 20 Super Tucanos and slicing money for more Mil Mi-17 helicopters—are a reaction to a lack of progress in maturing Afghanistan's air force.

A June 28 report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction looking at one special mission wing designed for the counter-narcotics mission outlined disarray significant enough to prompt the proposed cuts.

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