This is absolutely disgusting! We rescued them (the French) at Normandy and have put up with their refusal to assist in ridding our world of terrorists and we award a multi-billion dollar contract to them, wiping out one of our aircraft production lines in Seattle and loosing 40-some thousand jobs? Boeing (an AMERICAN company) has always been there for our country and our military and this is how we reward them? This is about as politically and strategically moronic as I have ever witnessed! There is a reason the KC-135s have been in service for over 50 years. They were built very well and are still quite serviceable.

Someone needs to correct this and I mean quickly. Our country is already in financial difficulty, so we start pumping billions of dollars to a country which does not support our desires to be secure within our borders or to be safe from terrorism. Yes, we do this without a care for any strategic or economic concern of our country.....What are those in control thinking about? Brie cheese and wine? They certainly aren't thinking about anything that means anything to our country!

I agree with Brian, this is disgusting and disturbing that OUR Pentagon would be so callous. To award such a meaningful contract to the French (weren't we just boycotting them?)to build aircraft for our brave military heroes is just a travesty. I'm not associated with Boeing at all but this is just not right.

Well, isn't that just about par for the course! Go NAFTA and remember to vote for that idiot woman who forgot that she was married to the jerk who got us into this mess to begin with. Let's just send all our work and contracts to support the rest of the world while the US dollar falls. Unbelievable to say the least!!!!! So now we have OHIO in despiration because of loss of jobs and now Washington and of course Michigan. All I have to say is thank "whatever" that I'm not beginning my life. My poor children, grand-children and great-grandchild. This is dreadful.

THEY TOOOOK OUR JOBS!!!!

Everybody back in the pile!

You Fuckjing lossers

Our vetrens from Irac, afganistan and all other duties around the globe have earned good jobs upon thier return to the usa. this would have been an oppurtunity for the government to show a commitment to providing them to acess the "american dream" they are fighting for. Not to mention, jobs for our kids and grand kids...in addition I would like to say, good job at looking out for the wellfare of French and other "friends and allies" at coast to the american tax payer.

The U.S. Airforce has a short memory, it was the France, during the Lybian crisis that denied our U.S. Air Force from over-flying France and endangered our aircraft and air-men from England by forcing them to go around thru the Mediterranean to defend our ships of the coast of Lybia. Why should they be rewarded for that with this contract award ??

stupid fucking idiots get a clue and make this right!

So are American citizens still supposed to support our military when our military chooses to economically support the French?

I cannot believe the UNITED STATES military would choose to support the economy of FRANCE rather than its own. There are so many things wrong with this decision that you wonder who could be that disillusioned to not realize just one of them. Our UNITED STATES tax dollars are now supporting FRANCE...and each day we hear the Dollar continues to fall below the Euro. This short-term decision has long-term impacts; not just to our economy but to the morale and security of our troops and the American people. Our leaders need to step up here!

Whose side is Congress on? What can we do so the contract is awarded to Boeing instead of a foreign country? The jobs need to stay in America!

Well isn't this just the icing on the cake!! Not only are we in a recession, gas heading for $4-$5 per gallon, houses being foreclosed on at a record pace, the "AMERICAN" dollar falling like a rock and inflation making its appearance felt at the grocery store and everywhere else. I thought our government was supposed to be for the people of THIS COUNTRY? sending Boeing jobs overseas where the EURO is kicking our dollars ASS!!! I can not figure out why the Air Force / Pentagon / Government would do such a thing?? What gives?? Any 2 year old could figure that keeping jobs in our own country is not only good for OUR PEOPLE, but good for OUR ECONOMY!! Come on!!! This has got to be one of the most "DUMBEST" decisions in recent history!! Uncle Sam is sending out this "STIMULIS" package soon to most of us, but HEY what a "STIMULIS" package it would have been to keep jobs in the USA!!!! Did they figure out how many EUROS this is going to cost to build these planes?? Since our DOLLAR is so low, I think we the tax payers would have gotten a "bigger bang for OUR BUCK"!!!

One last thing from my previous comment:

A man by the name of Abe Lincoln once said in a letter called the Gettysburg Address something that I feel is lost today.

"and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."
What part of the "FOR THE PEOPLE" did our government forget?? Apparently all of it!!

Oh and for those in DC that don't know who Abe Lincoln was, take out a $5 bill and look at it. But now remember you won't find his picture on any EURO!!!

I think that the stupid sons-of-bitches that made this decision should be fired. Then send them to France. They don"t deserve to be called AMERICANS.

When things are going down hill in our country we give our contract to France to build our war machines. Im glad Im not still flying KC's. I dont want to fly a foreign aircraft. This is not the only thing were giving away, congress is driving all our manufacturing out of the US. Now they are trying to give our Military Housing out to a private company to run. There are a bunch in Washington who are selling us out. I suggest we dont vote for anyone in office. We need a new system. Stop big contrubutions to political campaigns. We need a good King and send the rest of the bumbs home.

People need to get a grip on reality and get some facts. The planes aren't going to be built in France, they're going to be uilt in Alabama. The wings, engine, booms, tanks etc. will all be built right here in the U.S. 100% of the assembly will also be done right here in the U.S. Northrup Grumann is very much an American company. They simply gave the goverment what they wanted, unlike Boeing which tried to tell them what to buy. Maybe all the nutty protestors and "activists" in Washington will finally be happy though. They like to whine and complain about the military and try to get them to leave...until the military moves and the dollars disappear, then the anti-military goons want them to stay. You guys up north reap what you sow.

This is another disgusting, irresponsible act by the Bush led government that just shows the administration doesn't really give a rip about the American working people. I could go on forever about that but chew on this when we have been asked over and over again to be supportive of our military. Why should the American people be supportive of our Air Force when our Air Force is not supportive of the American people? Yes, I do support the troops, but mostly because they have been thrust into an unjust, and very expensive war which is ruining our country, our reputation, and economy.

I think this is a WAKE UP CALL TO ALL AMERICANS!... we are now competing with the WORLD when it comes to our product performance. If someone create a product better (not cheaper, but better) than we can, they deserve to get the business. I am pretty much fed up with ignorant people who get all bent out of shape when companies (who have to compete in a global market) have to make hard decisions like this.. Just because it is made in America, it doesn't make it better. FYI, I am a white male who grew up here in the Seattle area... I love this country and I love business. I grew up and became a factory worker like my father but I knew I had to change with the times if I wanted to stay competitive. We ALL have to continue towards constant improvement and not rest on our laurels. That is what MADE America.

Oh God, Here we go again. The winers at boring are at it again. Last time I looked Alabama was still part of America. That's where the plane is going to be built, with American workers and using engins built by GE, another American company.
We hear about the dreamliner and where is it built? Not in America. It assumbled in Everett.
Boeing tells us it would have put on another 9000 worker, but how many are in the service sector at mimun wage? 8500?
I was born and raised in Washington State and have never worked for boeing or had any job that depended on them. I have for years watched as the workers have wined about how bad they have it, while lower paid workers have had to struggle from pay check to pay check, because boeing workers have driven the cost of living through the roof.
Don't like what you're being paid or that you have to work more then 2 hours a day. Get another job and start really working for a living.

Well said Rich..

Oh, for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!

Come on, people; the United States Air Force is a branch of the military, not a welfare program. If Boeing is unable to compete on price and quality with a company that bears the onerous tax burden of operating in what is, to all practical intents and purposes, a socialist country, that bespeaks some severe problems with that company that need to be addressed; it's as if the Army, after lengthy study, decided that the Yugo (do those still exist, by the way?) was a better combat vehicle than the Humvee--granted, a lot of spoiled rotten workers from the Humvee factory would cry foul, but the rest of us would wonder what the hell went wrong in the manufacture of Humvees to make them so unattractive to our military. In other words, stop whining and fix it!

Unreal! This is not an issue or reasoning to hate the French, or any other nation for our problems. This is once again a fundamental domestic issue that leads directly to the steps of the White House.

Economic border-jumping has been going on for far too long in this country and has thus led to our current state economic insecurity. There was a time when foreign policy and laws were put in place to regulated such acts of betrayal/greed, and maintain independence and sustainable growth. We are witnessing the pinnacle of the systematic dismantling of such policies, and this time it has hit home. Let this be just another example of what this administration and it's counter parts have done this country, and be sure to make the right decision in 2008.

We keep hearing people cry about all the jobs going over seas, but lets take a closer look at what jobs they are. It's union jobs. Why? Could it be that the members belive they have some right to be taken care of, even if they do little work? Union worker "Someone who is on the clock for 8 hours, paid for 10 hours, stand around for 7 hours, and bitchs about being over worked and underpaid." Don't like NAFTA? don't vote democrate. Slick Willie signed it into law. Like higher taxes and lower standard of living? Vote gangfraud back into office and obuma into the white house. Keep the dummycractes in congrass and just sign your pay check over to them. They will take care of you from cradle to grave. That is if you jumped the fence.
Stop wineing boeing. You can't fill the orders you have now.

Rich,

Thus DEMOCRACY!!!!

Don't forget the first two contracts were blocked by McCain. If you aren't happy with the decision vote accordingly.

Well...we keep voting in all these anti military representatives... including our Governor. Its my opinion Washington deserves to lose this contract. I think its time you union voters took a good look in the mirror and at who you vote for. More to come in the next election!

Cheers

Isn't this a threat to are national security that president bush is always saying we need more wiretapping and broader goverment control,by giving a forign country control over a product used to control said security,control of the products that our troops use to fight for freedom should always be made by people that respect and love that freedom. I think that this a disgrace to our country and all that died for the freedom we all enjoy

Why are you wineing over this one plane? Boeing bought McDonald-Douglas, not for it's commercial side , but for it's military side. When the deal was cut, boeing shipped the military side to Japan, Tiwan, South Korea, and China. By the way, the last time I looked none of these countries are a part of America and China, would like nothing more then to distroy America. All of this is kind of mute anyways. The Liberal Fascist Democrates will dupe the winers in America into putting them in total control of the government and in Nov 08, they will bring the troops home in early 09. In late 09-2010, bombings will start in America and Dec. 21, 2012 it's all over anyways. America will at last reap what it has sowed. So, be a good little sheep and keep buying at wal-mart, protecting the fence jumpers and wineing about how it's someone eles fault that things are the way they are and 2012 will be here before you know it.
By the way, the French also saved our ass in the american revolution. Those of you who think Bush is so bad, remember that it was FDR that got us into the second world war. Truman that got us into the war in Korea. JFK that got into the quakmier in Viet-Nam and betrayed the fighters at the bay of pigs and slick willie, that told us we'd be in bosniea for only a year. We're still there folks and we'd be there for 50 years like the russian, if it wasn't going to all end in 2012.

oh gawd, not another doomsdayer...still got all those supplies from Y2K in your bomb shelter?

If you think Boeing employees are a bunch of liberal wackos, you know absolutely nothing about Boeing. Aside from having a union doing their collective bargaining, Boeing employees tend to be the most conservative bunch of folks I've ever worked with.

It's not lost work if we never had the work in the first place. It's a lost opportunity.

And it certainly won't be the last opportunity.

I think this opens up for discussion the sense of entitlement shown by northwest companies. Look at the examples. Starbucks' assumption that endless expansion and automation would go unchecked by their customers, the Sonics' assumption that they would get their way with Key Arena, the University of Washington assuming they could just use our hard-earned tax dollars for a stadium renovation....the list goes on....I think that in the present climate of international business, the northwest companies that desire future success need to compete for that success and not become victims in the pitfalls of entitlement. Also, we need to realize that the principle of outsourcing, whether it comes in the form of dollars, multiple millions of dollars as in the case of Microsoft, or 40 billion dollars as in the case with the Air Force, affects us all and has negatively impacted the northwest on every level.

Ya, Petey I know nothing about boeing. My father worked there till they tried to kill him in the early 60's and then tried to sucker him into a deal till they and the union screwed him and he sued them for 11 years. Sueing them for $60,000.00 and would have settled for $40,000.00. He went to work at Douglas till he retired. My mother worked there till she died in 1974 and my brother worked there till they were bought out by boeing and still works there. Remember when they wanted to send some of the rework to california? The union and workers wined about all their overtime was being sent out of state. Remember when the lazy B moved it's headquaters to Chicago and they couldn't find anyone who wanted to work for them? I've know many people who have and do work at boeing and I hear all the time how bad they have it. Maybe if they would stop being like the democrates and stop spending more them they make, they wouldn't be so bad off. One side of my family has been in Washington for 108 years and the other side came to this country before it was America. Take your head out of the sand and see the signs and then tell me what you see. Since I build and work on computers, I never bought the y2k crap. It was for dummies and suckers. Next time you go on strike, remember not to bring your new truck or motorcycle, when they local TV is going to do your photo op. Maybe your union guy needs to stop using kids. Remember the one when he put his arm around the kid and looked into the camera and said,"we're not doing this for us, but so you'll have a job with boeing when you grow up." Sad to think no one asked the kid what he wanted to be when he grew up. Maybe he wants to have a real job, where the money he earns isn't extorted by some union hack. By the way boeing had the contract, till the pay offs to members of congrass was brought to light and then covered up again by the liberal press.

I can't believe that yet another part of our economy is being sold off to another country. I amwondering when the United States will be up for grabs. The price should be too high since our jobs are being farmed out to other countries, most of our technology has been sold off and now one of our largest industries has lost a bid to another country.

I feel that the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Wynne, should resign, but then I also feel that the person who appointed him should also; at least impeached.

Corrections to my comments:

I can't believe that yet another part of our economy is being sold off to another country. I am wondering when the United States will be up for grabs. The price shouldn't be too high since our jobs are being farmed out to other countries, most of our technology has been sold off and now one of our largest industries has lost a bid to another country.What is left to sell off

I feel that the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Wynne, should resign, but then I also feel that the person who appointed him should also. AT least be impeached.

A number of thoughts:
There has been a long term strategy of European government subsidies to airbus that destroyed the ability of US commercial airline companies. This strategy resulted in the demise of Lockheed and McDonald Douglas. How much did these subsidies and this strategy played a role in making the Airbus pricing artificially low to get this tanker contract?
The A330 will be built in Europe in their factories. It sounds like the A330 will then be flown to Alabama where we get the role of providing finishing touches. This provides approximately 1000 jobs here in the states and supports how many thousands in Europe. I have heard estimates up to 19,000 US jobs were traded down to 900 with this decision. These are vital manufacturing jobs. This decision essentially further trims our skilled workforce and erodes our ability to provide for our own defense. Anyone out there remember why we had a chance to win WWII? A reminder, it was essentially our ability to out manufacture/produce anyone else. This decision represents a further erosion of our ability to defend ourselves.
In the past there was always a strategy within the US Government that placed contracts with US companies in order to maintain expertise and manufacturing capability for key defense capabilities. This is a long term contract, e.g., decades. Once the tanker moves offshore, Boeing will loose the expertise to make and maintain tankers. Next time we need a tanker, we will need to reacquire and train that expertise then recreate the manufacturing capability. This decision has a true long term impact. Just because a commercial line exists doesn't mean we have the expertise to quickly convert into a tanker.
Is anyone looking into the future? Both China and Japan are coming online to build commercial aircraft. Personally, I do not like where this best value argument takes us. Europe, China, and Japan have no interest in our well being. They simply want to use us to grow their economies. If we are impoverished as a result, so be it.
Everything said this decision by the Pentagon shows they have fallen to a concerted strategy by foreign governments to use subsidies to penetrate and erode our ability to compete in many markets. The effect of these strategies is the erosion of our expertise and our ability to design/manufacture key capabilities that we desperately need. Personally, I do not like the fact that a $40-100 Billion contract has been given to a foreign supplier to provide a critical need for our military.

NAFTA? Our goverment is owned by the interests of out-side influence? What the hell is going on...OUR COUNTRY, OUR JOBS and living standards are lowered and exported to the likes of France? when is enough ENOUGH! THIS SHALL NOT STAND! write your Congressmen NOW! Is this the beginning of the END of manufacturing jobs in AMERICA. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

I agree with Keith and Lee. But I am wondering just how much this has to do with NAFTA, but with who has how much financial interest in Northrop Grumman.
It is about time that the powers the stand-a-lone government of the Pentagon be limited. A decision of this nature which causes the degradation of our economy, jobs, and National security of our country should be reviewed by the Arms Committee then and require the approval of the Congress. This should not be the sole decision of arrogant military leaders. Blogs of this nature are great! But, when are the American people going to stand up and revolt about such decisions?

So Richy, what you're saying is that your father was a sue-happy liberal that never taught you how to spell?

I'm a fourth generation Boeing employee, pal. Your "I've lived here longer than you, so my opinion is more valid than yours", argument is just plain laughable.

Do us all a favor and read a book someday.

This is not good for the Puget Sound area but it is the correct choice for the national economy. We will have expansion and growth in the southeast part of the country and they need it. Now to all you people calling foul about another country building our military planes think about this. Boeing just announced a huge deal to build military planes for India in India. Now Boeing is using it's defense experience to market for work around the globe and the AMERICAN TAX PAYER funded Boeing Defense work for years and now they are taking work out of this nation after we the tax payers supported their growth in the military field. I have one more point as well and that is I worked at Boeing as a contractor and Boeing is shipping huge amounts of work to other nations.
You cry babies can not have it both ways, either Boeing does not play in the global economy or it does. Now to the political issue of blaming the Bush administration. If you want to pull politics into this remember what patty Murray said about Bin Laden to those young kids after 9-11? Let’s not forget what McDermet said either! Now I must update my resume for all those contract jobs that are going to open in the southeast.

This is the letter I sent to Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. Reading the first 38 comments show you will stop reading this one soon SO I will tell you that I have not heard anything on how grateful Alabama is on winning the contract. The news is that Boeing got cheated?

Maria & Patty,
Boeing and the high priced employees that fight each other over benefits, wages, hours, and other cost items have no one but themselves to blame for losing the Air Force Tanker Contract. They priced themselves out of competition. Your spin on it so far has been a one sided PRO BOEING support of half truth responses. I have not heard one thing about the thousands of jobs being created in ALABAMA (ONE of the United States of America) that probably need it more than we do. They (the American workers) have been competing for the Tanker Contract along with Boeing and WON. Now WA can't accept the defeat and learn from our mistakes? The 2000 jobs that WA lost are still in America. Mississippi will benefit from the Alabama expansion as will Georgia, Tennessee and other east coast states. Support your United States instead of JUST WA. I expect to hear you congratulate the Senators from AL, MS, GA, TN, and LO on the award to Alabama and the jobs it will bring to the South and move on to important issues in WA such as traffic on I5. Thank you for your time. I would like to hear more about why you are backing Boeing with the at any cost mentality. Jerry W. (JW) Johnson, Retired US Army and still serving.

Petey,
Sorry to hear you never had do do any real work for a living. It's good that you have so many people that are able to tell you how to think and how to vote.
The only time my father sued anyone was boeing, after they tried to MURDER him and then tried to cover it up and screw him over. He lost his lung, kidney, and ribs on him left side. Boeings quack tried to say he grew them back.
The fact that my family has been here a long time isn't to say my opinion has more value then yours, but you said I knew nothing about boeing and was simply to show you, I'm not some johnny come lately to the area and what has and is going on here.
By the way, you want some cheese and cracker to go with that wine. Oh that's right your union handlers ahven't told you it's ok to do so.
Buy CHEAP, buy foreign made and american assembled. Buy boeing and pray it doesn't fall from the sky.
Do us all a fgavor and start thinking for yourself.

OPS, there I go again, petey, not proof reading before posting and thinking for my self. I'm sure with all the time you have to read during your work? time, you'll be able to figure it out.

Hey to all you Everett Boeing employees have displayed this much passion at the fact that your company is shipping what ever work they can to Russia?

I see that your mighty union is saying that you will attempt to block this tanker deal but this mighty union is silent when it comes to all the Russia employess working at Everett and putting Americans out of work.

What has big mouth Patty Murray done to stop the outsourcing of jobs to Russia?...nothing.

has anyone noticed this last week that Northrop Grumman built and finished the uss new york and it was christend, this was that ship built from the steel recoverd from the world trade center.

so what is the diff between these 2 contracts?

Why are you all blaming France or even mentioning them??? The blame goes completely on the Bush administration and our lovely government! Open your eyes people and stop denying these guys are crooks!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!

In regards to Erv's comment on the USS New York: Call it a conspiracy theory but what better way to get rid of evidence but to melt it down and hide behind the guise of American Spirit like the USS New York! Ask any police agency about what a cover up 9/11 was. They themselves said it should have been marked as a crime scene but the gov't couldn't get rid of the evidence fast enough!!!

Since when did the Bush Administration start caring about efficiency????? Halliburton's probably a Grumman sub on something. The proposed Airbus airframe may be a little larger than the 767 for about the same price, but this just smacks of somebody's palm being greased. Grumman's a great company too, but what are the other technical or cost advantages of the Grumman-Northrup proposal and why can't they use a Boeing airframe? Before we start a revolution over $40 billion though, let's remember that our super-patriotic and eco-loving oil companies are raking that into their coffers in profits only about every 90 days, and that's maybe more worth a fuss. Heck, maybe France will buy Boeing tankers.

S810 made a comment about the 9-11 coverup. if this is about the conspiracy explosives were planted by bush and all that i think its all a big pile of crap! being a former firefighter the second i saw that tower collapse i knew exactly what had happend and if you have ever seen what happens to structural steel in a fire like that it is either going to hit the ground or hang there like blackend party ribbons. any straight geometrical structural steel is pretty much gone and the metal cant support its own weight let alone a building. when that metal gave it was like a giant sledge hammer coming down. also fyi i am a democrat and have never liked bush.

It's rediculous that the US Gorverment gave away billion of dollars to the other countries while their own country is suffering with the economy. I don't understand why they don't think as a little kid thinks "We are the US people don't even want to buy our own products then who will trust and buy the US products?" When this little kid asked me that question, I suddenly felt pain in my heart. Even a kid loves his country and worry about the future of his country???

Yeah, really sucks for Boeing and all the hard working Washingtonians. But, So many people on this blog are so short-minded and blind. You people are probably the ones living in homes with American flags hanging off every corner and probably even on your radio antenna. This isn't about America and France. It is about money. Hear me MEME. This isn't about Bill Clinton or his wife you idiot. This is about the current state of the economy. It all comes down to MONEY. The same stuff that got us into the conflicts in Afganistan, Iraq, as well as the entire middle east and every other endless activity. Who is to blame? us, America? We are the ones that funnel our money into the jobs that are outsourced. Think people. The number 1 store in America (Walmart) has so many of the richest people in the world that it is sickening. And for what, Cheap cotton. Do you really think all their products are developed in the US? That is why they have a signature series. To gloat that they are American and made in the USA. These products make up less than 1 percent of their products. All the rest come from overseas made by children and pregnant women willing to work for less than a dollar an hour with no bathroom breaks. But, who cares. We feel it on our end by paying a dollar or two less for crappy shoes or cheap fishing tackle.
Suppose we want to put a President into power that will make it all better. Damn, that sounds great. "As long as he doesn't take our guns". That is really what is the problem with this country. We care more about completely unimportant stuff that we install a government that is only looking out for their own neck. We would rather own firearms than have a safe economy. Think about it idiots. I am a true American. Will do anything for my country and HAVE. Boeing couldn't match the cost of Northrop Grumman and for that they didn't get the contract. Why, because they aren't wasting all their money on a endless conflict. Boeing cannot compete. Sure they make amazing planes but their cost is way above other companies. Again, it is all about MONEY. The true cost of outsourcing. It comes back to bite us in the rear just like predicted 50 years ago. Think about it next time when you take your 16 year old and your 16 year old's 5 year old to Walmart to pick up a fresh batch of Nacho Supreme Doritos and a cheap half rack of Mountain Dew. It will only get worse until we realize that a monopoly based economy isn't working and that jobs and products need to be made in America and stay in America.

Patty Murray is rightly screaming about sending our dollars to France.

She didn't seem to have any trouble voting to NOT open ANWR and sending countless billions to our Muslim friends for oil. The result of which is ten times more lost jobs and directly aiding our enemies.

Lost american jobs in the oil industry are just as important as Boeing and Ms Murray is directly responsible.

In regards to the Air Bus issue. I have been ever fascinated how we have been selling our Country out for years. Wallets get fatter, not mine, people get new homes, not my family! We lost two homes, our business and all we owned twice! The total now is over $174,000,000.00. Yet those responsible are free and as they say "easy" This means our Government does not work. So I am not happy with this either. Those who ripped off our family did so on September 11th, 2000! Most products with American brands are made elsewhere! Now Boeing losses to a Foreign company.. Are we not having problems with Foreigns? I mean that is who they are. Too many times now our Company's go elsewhere that is bad enough. Lets just give this country away. The rich are selling it out anyway.

OK - To the people whining about giving a contract to france - There would be no USA without France.

Secondly - The plane is not French, the aiframe is built by companies in Britain, France & Germany - for these planes assembly will be in Alabama - all the tanker conversion work will also be done in Alabama. The Engines will be made by General Electric (5 billion of the total contract value right there).

If boeing wanted to win the deal they should have pitched a plane that hasn't finished second in 5 out of the last 5 tanker contracts they bid on.

OK, lets talk turkey! All these Boeing machinists, employees and wood box makers go on strike every couple years. They think they are worth $50 an hour and shouldnt have to pay anything for medical insurance. They dont want this and dont want that and want to get paid to watch a machine do the work. This is what you get.
Get a clue. The economical state of the US dictates that either you figure out what is important-either a job here in the US making a REASONABLE living wage or your choice between no job or working in another part of the world for a lot less money than your current wage. The employees brought this on themselves and have no one to blame but themselves. Face reality and do what so many other companies have had to do. CUT BACK because of you dont you wont have to worry about it for much longer.

As a retired Air Force service member, I am truly dissapointed. If it wasn't for companies like Boeing, there wouldn't be a free world today. The B-47, B-52, KC-135, and all the rest of the fine aircraft that Boeing built for the country back in the 40's, 50's, and 60's doesn't seem to be appriciated today because Boeing is the industry leader and standard.
Most people seem to forget that Boeing did ALL of the research, development, testing, and development of large swept-wing aircraft way back when the other aircraft manufacturers had their heads in the sand. If it wasn't for Boeing, we would just now be getting into large jet powered aircraft because the other guys would have milked that technology dry of profits before giving it up.
The only way to cure the problem is to vote ALL of the current incumbants out of office. Whether it's the Congress or the heads of the DOD, it's high time for change. I think the countrys future depends on it. Just imagine if France disagrees with our country on a defense issue, would they slow down production or withhold critical parts for the tankers that they supply for our defense? They don't employ ANY of our fighters, bombers, or tankers, so why should we buy theirs?

The ONLY reason everyone is so upset is because it affects local economics. I, personally, am ashamed of our state leaders in their vehement response to this. Sounds like a lot of little kids crying because they didn't get their ice cream.
Hey, haven't we encouraged our government agencies to shop around and get the best deal for their bucks? It seems that's all well and good as long as it doesn't affects OUR pocketbooks!
A lot of folks are complaining about 'sending our money overseas." Well, hey, if you don't want to 'send our money overseas" you should maybe quit buying foreign tv's, radio's, GAS, etc.
And if you stop and really think about it: How in the world does the French building TANKERS affect our National Security? Even if they 'bugged' the planes what are they going to hear? "Ground Control Flight 16. Are my wheels down?"...

FAIR? not even a good joke...havent we outsourced enough of our national security? Our fathers would not have even considered that decision...Interestingly enough I just heard a newscast that named several folks that are working for McCain, that helped to broker the EADS deal. Yeah, I sure want that sucker for my commander in chief. That in my book is just another rich politician selling america to line his own pocket.