Posted on 03/10/2004 7:23:19 AM PST by Calpernia
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld warned March 9 here that progress toward democracy in Iraq should not be interpreted as a sign that the terrorist threat is under control and that the military can now endure budget cuts.
Rumsfeld told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that despite this week's signing of an interim constitution in Iraq, the terrorist threat in that country and elsewhere continues, and America must ensure its military is capable of responding to that threat.
"The violence in Iraq last week is another reminder that even as the Iraqis take hold of their country, the war on terrorism continues," Rumsfeld said. "Dangerous adversaries remain in Iraq and elsewhere in the world, whose objective is to kill innocent men, women and children."
Rumsfeld said this ongoing threat reinforces the need for the United States to maintain the highest level of defense capabilities. "We are and remain at war, so it's important that we as a country continue to invest in the defense capabilities that are needed to prevail in that effort," he said.
The defense secretary acknowledged that these investments -- $421 billion President Bush has requested for the Defense Department in fiscal 2005 — "are significant" but said "they pale compared to the cost in lives and treasure of another attack like the one on Sept. 11."
Rumsfeld lauded the Iraqi Governing Council's March 8 signing of an interim constitution that will guide the nation until a permanent constitution is established.
"The leaders of Iraq's governing council have not only enacted a landmark law," he said, "they have shown the world that Iraqis are on the path and have a willingness to do the difficult work of democracies."
Rumsfeld warned that this progress should not be interpreted as a time to water down America's defense.
"This is the time to press forward with transformation of our nation's defenses," he said. "The men and women in uniform who are risking their lives in Iraq, in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the war on terror need our support, and they need the tools to prevail in this war and to prevail and prepare for the next."
Rumsfeld told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that despite this week's signing of an interim constitution in Iraq, the terrorist threat in that country and elsewhere continues, and America must ensure its military is capable of responding to that threat.
"The violence in Iraq last week is another reminder that even as the Iraqis take hold of their country, the war on terrorism continues," Rumsfeld said. "Dangerous adversaries remain in Iraq and elsewhere in the world, whose objective is to kill innocent men, women and children."
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Defense Department Operational Update Briefing Tuesday, March 9
SEC. RUMSFELD: We'll make you the next-to-last question.
Q -- if I could borrow your barrel analogy for a few moments --
SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, good! It's actually Pete Schoomaker's. I fell in love with it. I think it's a perfect analogy.
Q -- the department has a rather large barrel of money --
SEC. RUMSFELD: What does?
Q The department has a rather large barrel of money. And there are some in the Congress who want to shrink that barrel, or give you a smaller one. Can you talk to us a little bit about --
SEC. RUMSFELD: There always have been and always will be some.
Q Particularly right now there's a budget resolution on the Senate floor that cuts you by $7 billion. Can you talk to us a little bit about what the department will do, what contingency plans you're developing for cuts in programs if there is a budget resolution that cuts you?
SEC. RUMSFELD: No. I not only can't, I wouldn't. It would be like teeing up a list of -- that someone ought to go after to take away because it's not terribly important. I mean, obviously we spent a lot of time on that budget, and the people in this building worked their hearts out on that budget. And we wrestled it through OMB and with the president, and they made a -- the president sent his budget up. And he wants the budget passed. And he wants it -- wants it passed the way he sent it up. Now the debate begins and we'll see. The president proposes, the Congress disposes.
Q But if you've been informed of all that, why wouldn't you tell us what you would lose if you have to cut that budget?
SEC. RUMSFELD: We would lose everything in it, down to the point that the number ended up. And the House is talking about 2 billion (dollars). The Senate's talking about 7 billion (dollars). It's perfectly possible to go into a conference on something like that and end up with no cut. I've seen that happen. In fact, we might even see that happen this time.
We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!
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