In an 11th-hour bid to influence the shape of the fiscal year 2007 defense authorization bill, the Pentagon on Monday delivered to Congress a final bundle of "appeals" designed to sway lawmakers to support key weapon system plans and provide the required flexibility to significantly alter military force structure. On Sept. 11, Robert Wilkie, acting assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs delivered the Defense Department's ninth and last batch of appeals letters that seek to either modify, repeal or...