Not Playing Politics in Base Closings, Cheney Tells Panel

WASHINGTON —  Defense Secretary Dick Cheney Monday lashed back against those accusing him of playing politics in a new round of military base closings, telling an independent commission examining the issue that “this is a good-faith effort to save money.”

“When I made the announcement . . . I did not know at that time which bases fell in which members’ districts. I did not want to know,” the Pentagon chief told the Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

The chairman of the new eight-member commission also sought to insulate the process from charges of political gamesmanship.

“I want to emphasize one thing--we will not play politics with America’s national security,” said commission Chairman James A. Courter, a former Republican congressman from New Jersey.

Cheney’s testimony Monday kicked off months of deliberations by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, which was established by Congress as a way to take partisan politics out of base closures. His testimony comes as analysts for the House Armed Services Committee revealed that some 70% of job losses resulting from the 43 base closures proposed by Cheney Friday would occur in the districts of Democratic House members.

The commission has until July 1 to decide whether to approve or amend Cheney’s list before forwarding it to President Bush.