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Boeing appealed to military for leases, e-mails show

WASHINGTON - Boeing Co. has aggressively sought help from the White House and Air Force to try to win congressional approval for a multibillion-dollar leasing program for 100 refueling tanker planes, according to internal company documents made public Saturday.

The documents include company communications dating to 2001 and were released by the Senate Commerce Committee, whose chairman, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is a staunch critic of the military's plan.

McCain says the lease is a sweetheart deal for Boeing.

The Air Force acknowledges the leasing deal would cost more than buying the planes. But it argues that leasing would speed replacement of aging air tankers and keep money available in the short run.

An Air Force spokesman, Maj. Michael Shavers said Saturday he had not seen the documents and declined to comment.

The internal company memos show a flurry of meetings with Air Force officials and suggest a powerful ally in the White House - chief of staff Andrew Card.

Other e-mails suggest questions about the need for new tankers.

McCain's panel will hold hearings Wednesday on the lease proposal.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Stepped-up patrols since three fatal sniper-style shootings have not turned up any suspects but have produced a side benefit: 93 arrests in other cases, officials said.

Nearly all the arrests since Aug. 14 came in the eastern end of Kanawha County, where the most recent shootings took place, Chief Sheriff's Deputy Phil Morris said. He said the number of arrests is unusual for the area.

Morris credited aggressive patrolling for arrests made since three people were killed by a .22-caliber rifle outside convenience stores in separate shootings.