Remilitarizing Niagara Falls

WIVB reported today that the Niagara Falls Air Base is looking to have the KC-130 Air-Refueling Tankers brought back to the base. These planes and their mission were stripped from the base during a restructuring of the military a number of years ago. Now there is the possibility of the tankers and their mission being restored.

The NF Base has been on the chopping block for years and has been protected by Senator Charles Schumer (WS-NY) and various members of the House of Representatives over the years. Every time it has escaped closure. The big pitch? The negative impact that closing the base would have on the economy of the City of Niagara Falls and the region.

The base recently received (I believe) the ability to launch and control drones – the greatest propaganda generator for Daesh (aka ISIS or ISIL) and al-Qaeda. DemocracyNow! Had an interview on drone warfare and how militants in Somalia were able to recruit people to join them after a US drone strike killed over 50 innocent civilians. Go over to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other Middle Eastern nations that the US has been officially and unofficially at war with and you'll get a better picture of the harm that these death machines do.

Now, the base has the possibility of having the tanker missions brought back. Great. We can support war more in our local community. And we can save jobs at the same time.

What if we took the money that we spend (and spent) on war and put it towards developing renewable energy sources that cut off our need for foreign oil supplies. Would we be safer? Would our ecenomy be stronger?

Socialists say “NO!” to expanding the war making ability of the Niagara Air Base and demand that the base be converted to humanitarian use and the money spent to support the drive towards cutting the cords of fossil based fuels that enslave us to foreign fuel supplies.

So, the economy of Niagara Falls is premised on the ability of the US to make war on other nations.

That must be a big heart warming feeling for the honeymoon capital of the world.

Corrections & Clarifications:

WS is the abbreviation for "Wall Street."  We all know who Chuck Schumer really represents.

Chris Collins currently represents the Niagara Falls region.

The tankers that the NF-AFB would be receiving back are KC-135s, not the KC-130 as written above.

The NF-ARS started supporting drone missions in April 2014.  It is supporting the MQ-9 "Reapers" - best known for their role in murdering innocent civilians.  
 I incorrectly identified the Niagara Falls base as an Air Force Base.  It's technical designation is "Air Reserve Station."  
 

Update January 29, 2016 – Niagara Falls ARS

Senators Kristen Gillibrand and Charles Schumer urged the Air Force to return the KC-135 Tankers to the Niagara Falls Air Force Reserve Station recently. They argued that since the station already serviced this fleet and had all the infrastructure in place, that it is the perfect place for the tankers and their mission to be sent.

Representatives Chris Collins and “Mayor” Brian Higgins also campaigned for the return of the tankers to the base.

The main arguments were that the base has the infrastructure for the planes and that it would save the Air Force money since they would not have to refit another base to handle the planes and necessary support structures.

At stake are approximately 2600 jobs and around $143 million of economic impact, according to the Buffalo News. The Air Force has tried to close this base before twice. Both times senators and representatives have fought to keep the base open.

President Eisenhower argued in his farewell address that the more we spent on the military-industrial complex the less we would have for our own citizens and needs, like schools, hospitals, etc.

So we fight to make ourselves less safe in this region (The NFARS houses the MQ-9 Reaper Drone which is responsible for airborne assassination missions and the slaughter of innocent civilians).

We should close the base, take the money and invest it in our schools and infrastructure. That will help our local economy even more than a few aircraft.