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Date Published: April 28, 2004
Sanford's loose lips keep Shaw in spotlight
Would someone please put a gag in Gov. Mark
Sanford's mouth?
Our ever-verbose governor was at it again
Monday during a tour of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris
Island where he obligingly reminded reporters that he was
"concerned" about Shaw Air Force Base being targeted in the next
round of base closings.
"The spot that's got the brightest
light on it is Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter," the governor was
quoted as saying. "We would do anything in our power to shield Shaw
because of the military utility and, second of all, the impact Shaw
has in the Pee Dee area."
First of all, when did Sumter
become part of the Pee Dee? We're an in-betweener county located on
the fringe of the Midlands abutting Richland County, dominated by
Columbia, and Florence and Florence County, the focal point of the
Pee Dee. We're neither fish nor fowl, more like a red-headed
stepchild, a valley of humility between two mountains of conceit.
Secondly, when did the governor become privy to the thinking
of the brass hats at the Pentagon? Does he have a direct line to
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld? Who's feeding him this
intelligence? Who's directing the beam of this "brightest light" at
Shaw?
This isn't the first time that Sanford has fed the
rumor mill about Shaw's status. Back in September, while touring the
Charleston Naval Weapons Station, the governor offered this
observation: "The obvious is obvious. Shaw for a long time has been
in a danger zone. I don't think we're out of the danger zone with
regards to Shaw."
That was followed two months later by a
report in Columbia's largest newspaper of Internet rumors from
so-called "military observers" and "sources inside the Pentagon"
predicting Shaw will be fighting for its life in the next round of
closures to be announced in May 2005.
At the time, both U.S.
Rep. John Spratt, our 5th District congressman, and retired Air
Force Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen, who's the point man for the local base
defense committee, dismissed the rumors. Said Spratt, "They don't
mean anything. Frankly, I don't think they even rise to the level of
rumors." Olsen added that the alleged Internet closing lists are
"not based on facts. They're just somebody speculating. There is no
base closing list. There isn't even a draft of a
draft."
Unfortunately, Sanford isn't listening to the real
experts such as Spratt and Olsen while continuing to gin up the
rumor mill with his unsubstantiated speculation. How long before
speculation becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy?
However, in
the same Associated Press story about Sanford's concerns, there was
mention of another scenario that Columbia power center operatives
would prefer to remain hush-hush. That came from retired Air Force
Maj. Gen. James Gardner, a member of the South Carolina Base Task
Force, which is seeking to prevent any base closures in the
state.
Said Gardner, who accompanied Sanford on the tour: "If
Shaw had (a) joint mission, it would help them considerably." He
said moving operations from McEntire Air National Guard Station near
Columbia to Shaw — "blending" the missions of the F-16 squadrons at
the two bases — might help provide Shaw that joint
mission.
Why don't we add that speculative comment to the
rumor mill? Is it because McEntire has become a sacred cow while
Shaw twists slowly in the wind of rumors and hearsay? The question
needs to be asked whether McEntire's economic impact is the
equivalent of Shaw's. We know the answer to that. Shaw impacts this
region to the tune of over $600 million yearly. Can the same be said
of McEntire?
Shaw has been a part of the Sumter community for
over 60 years, in war and peace. It enjoys the support, respect and
admiration of the entire community. Its officers and airmen have
defended our nation with honor and courage.
It doesn't
deserve being accorded sacrificial lamb status courtesy of
firing-from-the-lip politicians. During World War II, there was a
popular slogan warning Americans to be careful in talking about
sensitive matters that could impede the war effort: "Loose lips sink
ships." Now we have a modern version: "Loose lips can sink military
bases."
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June 8, 2004 
