The SASC, presumably at the behest of those Senators who have missile silos in their states, continues to prohibit the Pentagon from making operational decisions regarding Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.

Under the guise of “support[ing] our nuclear triad”, the Senate version of the NDAA prohibits the Air Force from reducing, “the quantity or alert status of intercontinental ballistic missiles below 400”. This is the latest in a series of moves to keep the Air Force from making whatever operational decision they deem best in the management of its portions of the nuclear triad.

Magnanimously, the SASC does throw the Air Force a military construction bone by authorizing, “…certain military construction projects to convert Minuteman III launch facilities to Ground Based Strategic Deterrence configurations…”

We’ll keep saying it, the Pentagon should not be a jobs program benefiting the states and Congressional Districts with the most powerful members representing them.

Again, bad process begets bad policy.