Posted on 05/16/2007 4:43:35 PM PDT by LibWhacker
WASHINGTON — Army brass and Democratic lawmakers are trading fire over proposed cuts to the service's top modernization priority, the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program.
Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, who overseas operations for the Army chief of staff, told Army Times this week that a proposed $867 million cut to the Army's $3.7 billion request for FCS in fiscal 2008 would gut the program. Speakes told the paper that proposed cuts approved by the House Armed Services Committee on May 9 would force the cancellation of eight variants of planned ground vehicles.
"The Army is not going to surrender its commitment to modernization," Army Times quoted Speakes as saying.
House Democrats countered that rather than diminishing the FCS program, they are instead seeking to improve the readiness of U.S. ground forces stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Responding to Army complaints that lawmakers were undermining the program through budget cuts, Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), chairman of the House Armed Services air and land forces subcommittee, told Aviation Week, "That's complete nonsense."
Abercrombie noted that the committee's fiscal 2008 military authorization bill was approved by a vote of 58-0.
Lawmakers have said their priority is to improve Army readiness and to fund parts of the FCS program that could be fielded by 2010.
"The polestar of this year's defense authorization is readiness," Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (Mo.) said in a statement released Tuesday (May 16).
Future Combat Systems contractors include Boeing, General Dynamics Land Systems, Science Applications International Corp. and BAE Systems.
The Dem’s gutting the military, again.
The rat’s days are numbered. I have seen some not-yet released polling numbers... they are in a free fall and Gallup makes them look good at 29%!
LLS
Sure, they will gut the defense of this nation. It's more important to raise taxes and use it to buy the votes that will keep the leftists in power through social welfare programs.
After Veto, Democrats Still Pitching Defeat and Surrender
Somehow, I just fail to grasp the logic of cutting funds for combat systems to prevent further decay of the Army during war.
Just wait till they get the Presidency, we won’t
need a military budget for they will promote world peace.
Here it comes ... full resumption of the most ill advised, most suicidal draw down in US history, after a temporary slowing .... we are repeating the blunders of the UK, 1919 - 193x.
Their goal is to emasculate the military to the point that even a two term Republican president & congress could not restore it.
They hate the military just like they apparently hate everything else. You notice how they never say anything positive about anything in life?
How would you like to wake up every day hating so much about life as they do? Depressing.
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