A Farewell To Arms?

RANGE WAR The U.S. military is up against its toughest opponent yet: Mother Nature. Senior Pentagon officials testified in Congress last week that animal rights are interfering with their ability to conduct adequate training:

--Southwestern U.S. Recent maneuvers by Marines slowed by requirement to ensure safety of desert tortoises during troops' 170-mile trek

--California 40% of Coronado Naval Base declared off-limits to use by Navy SEALs during portions of the annual nesting season of two protected species of shorebird

--Arizona Activities at the joint-service Barry M. Goldwater Range under review for possible threat to Sonoran pronghorns

--Texas Air Force facing lawsuits over complaints that overflights spook cattle

--Puerto Rico Condition for live-fire drills: only one sea turtle fatality per exercise