Elites Are Wrong; Deep Cuts Won’t Damage Military
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The stench of elitism is permeating Washington, just as it did a decade ago when everyone of consequence bought the proposition that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction – and even if there was room for doubt, he was a threat and “had to go.” Today, the subject matter is different, but the methods… Keep reading →
Cut Defense Now, Build Strategy Later
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With defense spending cuts looming, Pentagon leaders and their Beltway boosters are using strategy to stall. They argue that cuts must follow program changes that flow in turn from revised national security strategy. Cutting without a strategy, they say, means cutting foolishly and overburdening the shrunken force. So decide the strategy first and then make… Keep reading →
Precision Weapons Drive ‘Desperate Need’ to Reshape Land Forces
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No matter who wins the presidential election in 13 months, massive cuts in defense spending are inevitable. The Service Chiefs are already under pressure to come up with billions of dollars in spending cuts. We have arrived at a critical turning point in the history of the Republic, a point where organizing, planning and spending… Keep reading →
White House Now Clearly Against Deeper DoD Cuts
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Washington: In the last few days one thing has become crystal clear: the Obama administration — from the Pentagon to the Situation Room to OMB — has decided America cannot sustain defense cuts that go beyond the currently planned $450 billion. We knew the Pentagon felt this way ever since a carefully masked “senior Pentagon… Keep reading →
Chairman of Joint Chiefs Says Doomsday Cut Would ‘Break’ Military
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Washington: The outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff pulled no punches during his last week on the job, saying today that the across-the-board defense cuts under the so-called “doomsday” scenario will break the military. For the first time, Adm. Mike Mullen said this afternoon that if the Super Committee set up by the… Keep reading →
Former Top Marine Calls for Joint Work To Get Weapons Quicker
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I was continually frustrated during my time as the Marine’s Deputy Commandant for Aviation by our inability to rapidly upgrade Marine equipment, especially aircraft cockpits and similar systems. The reason is simple, much of the aerospace and defense industry uses unnecessary and arbitrary proprietary markings as a base requirement. We must change this mind-set. The… Keep reading →
U.S. Must Keep Nuke Triad, F-35, Satellites, Tanker: Air Force Secretary
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National Harbor: Air Force Secretary Mike Donley pledged today to keep all three legs of America’s nuclear triad, arguing that the rise of new nuclear powers makes the air, sea and land legs even more important. “We must maintain the nuclear triad,” he said, drawing a tiny smattering of applause — the only spontaneous applause… Keep reading →
Good Government Groups Detail $429B in DoD Cuts; Kill F-35, MEADS
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Washington: Two of Washington’s better known taxpayer groups today offered a salad of Pentagon cuts, including recommendations to kill the entire F-35 program. The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) — who occupy very different parts of the political spectrum — issued the recommendations to the congressional Super Committee… Keep reading →
Defense Industry Comes Out Swinging: Don’t Cut Us!
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Washington: The defense industry has clearly decided looming budget cuts pose such a grave threat to its future that it must abandon its usual quiet, behind-the-scenes efforts to influence the American public and go national, using social media as well as its usual combination of education and money. Today, the Aerospace Industries Association unveiled its… Keep reading →
Coming Cuts May Put Services At Each Others Throats
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The Department of Defense faces the prospects of additional budget cuts on a scale that would swamp all efforts to avoid change. If the congressional Super Committee fails to find an acceptable solution, the Pentagon would have to cut $600 billion. This would mean cutting up to $100 billion from the fiscal 2013 budget alone.… Keep reading →