Gates Backs Army Commitment On Pinon Canyon Land

From this AP story:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday he will support any commitment the Army has made not to condemn private land to expand its Pinon Canyon maneuver site in southeastern Colorado. "I'm not familiar with the details, but if the Army has made that commitment to you then I would stand behind it," Gates told Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Gates also said he will try to get the Army to respond to questions raised by the Government Accountability Office about why the Army was able to reduce the amount of land it wants to acquire from 418,577 acres to 100,000 acres and how much of that land would be used for actual training.