Nebraska is home to just one military installation, Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha. The base is home to US Strategic Command, which is responsible for missile defense, combating WMDs, gathering information, space operations, and much more. Clearly it’s an important installation for the United States.

But word comes today that Congressional Democrats are desperate enough to pass socialized healthcare that they’re threatening to close the base if Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), a fiscal conservative, doesn’t bow to their will and support the legislation.

According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn’t fall into line.

Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a “naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson’s vote.” They are “threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?” asked the Senate staffer.

Indeed, Offutt is the headquarters for US Strategic Command, the successor to Strategic Air Command, and not by accident. STRATCOM was located in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Its closure would be a massive blow to the economy of the state of Nebraska, but it would also be another example of this administration playing politics with our national security.

Even outside of the lost jobs and fall of the local economy that would result from the base closure, we’re talking about a significant loss for national security. Offutt is important enough that it was the location of President Bush’s first strategy meeting on September 11th. He flew there before going back to Washington. In fact, Bush was originally going to address the nation from the base.

And now Democrats are threatening to close the vital installation unless the state’s senator votes with them on socialized healthcare? And to think some people don’t consider Democrats serious enough when it comes to national security. Imagine.

Thanks to Hot Air.