Let's put all this in perspective:
Boeing gets caught with hand in till, oop's.
Possible presidential candidate looking for points.
FAR's, and common sense demand two participants for a "full and open competition" to take place.
Who else is out there: Antonov, Tupolev?
NG is approached, encouraged to bid. Only way to fullfull point #3, or reward Boing for bad behaviour, felony(s) and award, but it's election year.
Nobody honestly expected NG to win, period. The French, OOH la la!
But now we have Sarkovsky making I love the US noises.
Boing listen to one set of ex little generals, NG to another.
Guess which set of little ex generals had the most pull?
Don't despair, riding to the rescue of Boing is Made In The USA, yeah, right.
So now we have ignorant little congressmen running around in, guess what, election year, puffing up their chests as the lobbyists blow smoke up their a-sses.
Meanwhile, the fleet ages.
News flash: 6 weeks from now 50 congressmen and women cram onto a stage made for 10. One by one they flap their lips and smile at the cameras.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reviewed this matter, and in the interests of our fighting men and women, American Jobs and solidarity with Europe we hereby announce that NG and Boing have formed a joint venture to produce the next generation of tankers"
The name Boing used above is in satire.
And so, another never ending, ever escalating program is born. Because we have become a nation of whiners!
Brought to you by the folks at the funny shaped building, with love.