[Marxism] A Sign of US Decline?

["Paul Flewers" <rfls12802@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From the BBC News website at <
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7272272.stm >:

'Boeing's loss of a $40bn contract to build a new in-flight refuelling
aircraft for the US military has drawn angry protests in Congress. Lawmakers
from Washington state and Kansas, which have big Boeing plants, voiced
"outrage" that it had gone to a consortium including Europe's Airbus. 

'The planes will be assembled in Alabama but constructed largely in Europe.
Boeing has said it is awaiting an explanation from the military before
deciding whether or not to appeal. The new aircraft, named the KC-45A by the
US Air Force, is based on the Airbus A330 and will be manufactured in
partnership with US defence firm Northrop Grumman. Its job will be to refuel
the vast array of US warplanes and the contract is worth in the region of
$40bn over 15 years...

'In Everett, Washington state, a few dozen Boeing workers protested outside
a Machinists Union hall holding up signs saying "American workers equal best
tankers" and "Our military deserves the best". Congressional lawmakers from
the state's Seattle area issued a joint statement condemning the
"outsourcing" of the contract. "We are outraged that this decision taps
European Airbus and its foreign workers to provide a tanker to our American
military," they said.'

As far as I can tell, this is the first time that the USAF has bought in
from abroad, at least for a large order. With the falling dollar making
European imports more expensive, this move seems quite remarkable.

Paul F





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