A Farewell To Arms?

By AnnMarie Bonardi, Amanda Bower, Ellin Martens, Joseph Pierro, Alex Smith, Sora Song, Heather Won Tesoriero and Josh Tyrangiel

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