Ousted Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne fires back

Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, fired by Pentagon chief Robert M. Gates in the waning days of the Bush administration, isn't going down without a fight.

In a round table with reporters today, Wynne -- gently, politely and firmly -- hit back at his soon-to-be-former boss. Gates had insisted that the firings of Wynne and the Air Force's chief of staff were related only to the Air Force's oversight of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. But Wynne claimed that his ouster was part of a series of escalating policy disagreements -- like the need for F-22 fighter planes -- with the administration.

"Over the course of the last year, I have become more strident and challenging on several fronts," Wynne said, adding that his views on how to fight future wars had "crisped up" his differences with Gates.

Gates has expressed doubts that the United States will get into a war with a technologically advanced country, like China or Russia, that has a strong military. The Pentagon calls this "a peer competitor." And Wynne said he debated the issue with the secretary.

"My response to Secretary Gates in that interchange was my brother was shot down in Vietnam by a Russian surface-to-air missile that was sold to the North Vietnamese," Wynne said. "I never considered Vietnam to be a peer competitor. But I lost my brother to the fact that some peer sold the weapon that killed him."

Wynne said he was "unapologetic" about trying to keep the Air Force's technological edge over would-be competitors. "We need to maintain technological superiority over any enemy anywhere," Wynne said. "I don't want anyone to think ... they can take us."

-- Julian Barnes

Photo: Mark Wilson / Getty Images

Comments

[Gimme A BREAK!]

At a $140 MILLION per plane...well, let's face it, ALIEN invaders come on foot. I'm more concerned about the USA rotting from within, more than the bs bush II is trying to huckster for the war profiteers. ALL that technology, and our courageous troops STILL get killed and maimed by IEDs??? Something stinks; bush, congress, the pentagon, Wall Street and Big OIL.

[National_Insecurity]

It's a tradition to prepare to fight the last war. Mr. Wynne has certainly suffered a memorable loss of his brother, but is the answer $100-200 million per unit planes?

In an asymmetric world I can deliver a cargo container with a nuclear weapon in 7-14 days to anywhere in the world for about $3,500. While it's not as instantaneous as an ICBM, it sure does the trick.

Preparing to go to war with China or Russia is sure to result in some delightful whiz-bang technology (and I'm a technologist), but it's terribly inefficient use of our limited resources. UAVs are a better bang for our buck.

[Bob Bob]

I believe this is a much larger problem in the Air Force then we realize. To say Secretary Wynne and Gen Moseley are at fault is not completely true and to say it is just in the involvement of nuclear weapons is not completely true; what is true is that they did the honorable thing. I understand leadership is from the top and yes they are responsible, but this is a larger problem as a whole which is why I say it is not completely true. Here is what I mean; a former Squadron I was in a few individuals have tried to physically hurt other people, lied, forged documents and committed fraternization. When I tried to stop this and could not, I brought this to the attention of my Squadron Commander who told me to turn my head. I in turn told him I would not and he has held this against me and taken every action he can against me.
What am I trying to say? The Air Force teaches us we must all get along in a professional environment, which I completely agree with but it is often interpreted we are to turn our heads on everything and if we do not we are hurting the team or individuals which is what led to the problems that the investigative report by Adm Donald revealed. People in the Air Force know they will be attacked for being a whistle blower and instead choose to turn their heads. SECDEF Gates said it best” Embrace accountability in all that you do - for everything in your area of responsibility. When you see failures or growing problems in other areas - outside your lane, as it is often described - throw a flag: bring them to the attention to people who can do something about it” I hope the SECDEF is right as I believe this is the root cause of the Air Force problem.

[Concerned]

I can see why this man would need to be taken away. When it comes to developing weapons, we cannot always go with our emotions. Spending on emotion is not always the best idea. But as the the comment about the man who could not stand up to his superior, have we forgotten what the service is about?? About the only branch of the service where I have not heard stories like this is in the Public Health Service, and thank God because they're final end is to actually save lives. I have heard countless stories from people in the Marines and the Army where things go on and the young people from this young generation of right now have absolutely NO POWER or PROTECTION to let anyone know that they go on. They pass on secret stories to their closest friends, but the bulk of it goes unknown. That is the nature of the service though. It is built much like the structure of a gang. You are part of a gang and if you betray that gang, there will be hell to pay. The (insert service here) is your family, your boys and if you "doublecross" them, you'd better watch out. Sound like a gang to anyone. This in general is a problem. If some atrocities are committed, shouldn't my generation not be afraid to stand up for people's dignity, no matter which side they are on.

Until people seek asylum while trying to speak out on a mass level, no one is going to feel safe in sharing anything, and there are definitely some stories out there that need to be heard.

[Friend of Bob Bob]

The Air Force has a habit of telling others to turn their head and when they don't they are punished. I have seen this at the Air Force Academy where a flying squadron commander was told exactly what was going on and told the individual to turn their head. The individual said no and the squadron commander removed him and has continued to hurt him in manner possible. This problem in the Air Force is entrenched and will not go away until this view is gotten rid of.

[Anonymous]

I'm saddened to hear of Secretary Wynne's brother's loss during the Vietnam War. However, I fail to see how that has relevance to the increasingly asymmetrical nature of warfare. I would also be more willing to take Wynne's justification for beefing up our fighter inventory at face value if he didn't spent 20+ years working for major weapons manufacturers.