WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon (news - web sites) may have to scrap
its premier fighter jet program to help pay for the war in Iraq (news -
web sites), Sen. John McCain, an influential member of the Armed
Services Committee, said on Sunday.

"It's obvious that we're paying a heavy price, I think, for not having
had enough troops there from the beginning," the Arizona Republican said
on NBC's "Meet the Press."

McCain said both the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps must be expanded
overall, a position at odds with President Bush (news - web sites)'s
administration. The United States has about 135,000 troops in Iraq, a
number that McCain, an influential member of the Armed Services
Committee, said must rise.

As part of a broad overhaul of U.S. priorities, he said, the Pentagon
may have to scrap the $71 billion Air Force program to buy F/A-22
air-to-air fighters built by Lockheed Martin Corp. .

"We may have to cancel this airplane that's going to cost between $250
million and $300 million a copy," said McCain, floating what could
become a major new legislative hurdle to a top Air Force priority.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...sa_mccain_dc_2