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bobdina
05-11-2010, 11:01 AM
Matt Gurney: America's military goes on the chopping block
Posted: May 10, 2010, 11:15 AM by Matt Gurney
Full Comment, Matt Gurney, U.S. military, Robert Gates, Pentagon



Speaking at the Eisenhower Presidential Library on Saturday, marking the 65th anniversary of Victory in Europe, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said aloud what all observers have known was coming — reduced American military spending. "Given America's difficult economic circumstances and parlous fiscal condition, military spending on things large and small can and should expect closer, harsher scrutiny," he said.

This isn't simply about reducing the rate of growth, as Canada has done. According to the Wall Street Journal, Gates warned that "the overall defense budget would no longer increase by enough money each year to fund the military's current force structure." In other words, America can no longer afford the military it already has.

Republicans and defence hawks will have a field day with this. They've been warning for years that the Democrats want to gut America's defences, and now can claim to have proof. Will the cuts proposed by Gates amount to "gutting"? It's impossible to say, but it's unlikely — Congressmen need to get re-elected and will zealously defend any defence contractors in their districts whilst simultaneously boosting their own national security credentials. But certainly, some big-ticket expenditures will join further production of F-22 stealth fighters on the chopping block. (Indeed, Gates is already in the midst of a very public spat with the Navy over the future size of the American carrier fleet — Gates thinks 10 ought to be enough, but the Navy is adamant that only 11 will do.)

Such cuts have been coming for a while. NASA has already been virtually shut down so it was only a matter of time until the military came under the axe. The cuts, if done properly, might not be harmful — military history has shown again and again that top-of-the-line weapons get more and more expensive and less effective. Primitive firearms easily overwhelmed the expensive, cumbersome armour worn by medieval knights. Machine guns could wipe out whole battalions of infantry. In modern times, enormous battle tanks can be knocked out by RPGs wielded by an insurgent, high-tech choppers fall victim to shoulder-fired missiles and multi-billion-dollar aircraft carriers fear a swarm of cruise missiles worth a measly few million. And South Korea recently lost an advanced warship, almost certainly to a torpedo fired by the far less advanced North Korean fleet.

If Gates' reforms create a more agile, flexible military, America might benefit. If the axe is wielded indiscriminately and with an eye only towards reining in America's chronic deficits, that would be very bad news for the Free World.

National Post

mgurney@nationalpost.com

Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/05/10/matt-gurney-america-s-military-goes-on-the-chopping-block.aspx#ixzz0ndKIby18

Reactor-Axe-Man
05-11-2010, 11:03 AM
It's bullshit. We spend far more on entitlements than we do on the Armed Forces, but I guess we know where the Administration's priorities are.

ianstone
05-11-2010, 11:59 AM
From day one, the armed forces are an easy target.
Governments staff, agencies, contractors and all there support.
Make The administration of Uncle Sam very, very fat

The forces are excellent value for money. Ever ready and never; Senitor Bummer, call back Monday he is on this holidays in Cuba. Sorry sir there is nothing in his dairy about an invasion, how you spelling that sir, Falkland islands. Who is invading Sir, Yes sir who owns the Falkland Islands, Really Sir. The Royal Navy would like a 500,000 gallons of fuel. I can only authorise 10 gallons at the car pool. No Sir he is out of his office until Monday, then he may be able to ask for an appointment to see to janitor sir

The armed forces, where you get more bang for your buck

MickDonalds
05-11-2010, 09:33 PM
Let's BAIL OUT EVERYBODY under the sun, including foreign countries, but let's cut the military down to size to save a few bucks, right?

After all, GM and Ford will continue to make shit autos with the UAW, and Wall Street won't learn their lesson. Oh let's not forget our "Ally" :rolleyes: Israel. They do SOOOO much for us, right?

Meanwhile, experienced soldiers and leaders in every branch are going to be told "Piss off, we don't need you to stay past 20 years to get the next rank or position, we can save more by letting more kids into boot camp". They'll be told to retire, and the forces will be incompetent and weak because they don't have those certain "game changers" at the top echelons that need to stay in for 25-30 years to help the betterment of the Forces.