Pentagon Budget Cuts and U.S. Defense Strategy
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-01-31/pentagon-budget-cuts-and-us-defense-strategy
The Pentagon's new spending proposal would shrink its budget for the first time since 1998. It's the initial step in a plan to shave nearly a half-trillion dollars from the defense budget over the next decade. Some say the timing is right. The Iraq war is over and the U.S. is winding down its engagement in Afghanistan. Plus, the economic climate at home has made trimming the federal deficit a political priority. Critics are worried the proposed budget will weaken the U.S. as China's power grows and the Middle East becomes more turbulent. Diane and her guests talk about the implications of a leaner U.S. military.
Guests
George Little
deputy assistant secretary of Defense and Pentagon press secretary.
Thom Shanker
Pentagon correspondent for The New York Times; co-author of "Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda."
Thomas Donnelly
defense and security policy analyst; director of the Center for Defense Studies at the American Enterprise Institute; co-author of "Lessons for a Long War: How America Can Win on New Battlefields."
Lawrence Korb
senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and former assistant secretary of defense in the Reagan administration.
![Image of Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda [Hardcover]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cmlMnbn9L._SL75_.jpg "Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda [Hardcover]")
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
Typical of any organization, when they reduce force they start with the working level. I think they should start the cuts at the top. Start with a deep reduction of flag officers and their staffs. Protect the troops, research, weapons development, and maintenance by making them last in consideration for cuts. If a Navy Captain can do the job--why do you need an Admiral?
Iraq's President Maliki was on Fareed Zakaria's GPS news program several weeks ago. He said that Al Qeada members are all over Iraq. We know that Al Queda was not in Iraq before the invasion yet President OBama keeps repeating that his administration has knocked out many Al Qeada leaders. How much money and resources are spent looking for Al Qeada members?
Would encouraging, pushing Israel, Pakistan and India to sign the Non proliferation treaty be a defense cost cutting measure? How much can your guest calculate it cost the US in dollars defending Israel's illegal expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and illegal housng in E Jerusalem
Can your guest line up in order which defense contractors made the most money in Iraq, Afghanistan? Would it save the Pentagon money if the revolving door quit revolving.? Just stop moving those who have served in an administration and within a few years move into a upper level position in private defense contractors and then move back into another administration.
Oh, listen to the Military Industrial Complex moan on about how military budget cutting will weaken our national defense...seriously, we need to cut the budget and it should begin with this over bloated government, spoiled baby.
This is nothing but fear mongering on the highest order.
We have depended on contractors to a tremendous degree in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts--theoretically to allow a lean fighting force. Can't we cut costs more effectively at this point because of this strategy? Or was this just a way to channel public money to private companies?
We should watch closely what is happening here. This so-called new empahsis on the Pacific, is essentially a political move to look tough. We have been engaged ain the Pacific for 200 years, remember Viet Nam? Our forces have patrolled this region for a long time. Thsiis an effort to build China up as an enemy to fit our psychlogical need to look tough.
In the process, we are neglecting other Alliances and tasks. Look at the Middle East for example. We no longer have the resources to do everything. Putting so much emphasis on the Pacific skews expenditures terribly.
Please don't forget that the military is more than just the warfighter. Family members have sacrificed for years with substandard housing, medical opportunities and education for their children. When you talk about cutting funding, please remember that services are almost always cut first.
On the subject of cutting personnel, everyone complained that we were abusing the National Guard with endless deployments. And we were. Cutting the force will greatly affect those soldiers.
I greatly appreciate the comments on grandfathering in the retirement benefits.
After serving 25 years, we should receive what was promised
President Dwight D Eisenhower, said
"Every Gun that is made, every warship that is launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not feed,those who are cold and not clothed."
At what point do we need to vaporize the world with Nuclear weapons?
I understand the need to maintain the open commerce of the seas. But with Smart weapons in the hands of so many, are super Carriers and their fleets the best way to do it?
Like the Marines make everyone carry a gun and be able to fight. No more pencil pushers only everyone must be able to fight before they can effectively support the troops.
Enlisted US Navy 1969.
The only candidate wanting to End these idiotic, sensless wars?
Vote Ron Paul in 2012 !
1. When the panelists use the term ‘threat’ they don’t mention that since the end of the Cold War, the nature of the threat has changed…In todays world where 6 (India, Pakistan, China, France, Britain, Israel) countries (and counting) have nuclear weapons, total war would be unthinkable. Therefore, the new wars of the 21st century are wars of resources and wars of ‘asymmetry’. The US no longer needs the Cold War era military and will no longer face a conflict where combatants are of equivalent strength.….2. The discussion doesn’t cover the increases in the intelligence services which will engage in covert operations with mechanisms such as drones…These budgets should have more oversight. 3. Why does the US have to make China a threat…?The US needs to get out of its imperialist mindset and recognize that the greatest threats to the planet are the American way of life which demands its imperialist presence and control of resources around the world…This way of life not only demands perpetual conflict and occupation but is unsustainable and is destroying the planet.
Can your guest line up in order which defense contractors made the most money in Iraq, Afghanistan? Would it save the Pentagon money if the revolving door quit revolving.? Just stop moving those who have served in an administration and within a few years move into a upper level position in private defense contractors and then move back into another administration.
How does the Pentagon calculate containment vs. a military confrontation..say for instance with Iran.
Let's remember that it was Dwight D. Eisenhower who warned of the greatest threat to America being the Military Industrial Complex. He knew whereof he spoke and has proven to be prophetic on this point. Chalmers Johnson, R.I.P., also saw the writing on the wall for our global, empirical military presence. Americans are under-informed as usual when it comes to pertinent facts regarding the expense of our commitment to a "strong military". What about nukes??? To begin "trimming fat" let's get rid of our ridiculous surplus of these antiquated and insane weapons.
I have to take issue with the comment that we as a nation are in a stronger position.
We've Invaded the middle east and are occupiers.....this is why we are seeing terrorism increase...
I was in the Navy and I saw thousands of dollars being spent each quarter at my command that DID NOT need to be spent. The supply person would be in a panic to spend all of the money allotted, so that we could get the same budget for the next quarter. Multiply that times how ever many commands are in our ENTIRE military that do the same. I would imagine it would be in the billions wasted. I think the Pentagon and the individual commands should recognize this and take responsibly for spending. If you don't need it, don't spend it! The leftover money could help a lot of people back home, i.e.; veteran’s healthcare, roads and bridges, parks, etc.
Diane just said Americans are "war weary"...Most Americans have no idea about how many Americans have died or been injured in Iraq based on a "pack of lies" Let alone know how many Iraqi people have died been injured or displaced.
Let's be real here
Well spoken- Talllistener, Kathleen, Urbanrage.
Thanks