Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

No Time To Scrimp On Defense
IBD Editorials ^ | August 11, 2010 | Investors Business Daily staff

Posted on 08/11/2010 6:04:04 PM PDT by Kaslin

Federal Spending: The secretary of defense announces that due to economic conditions, the military must be slashed by $100 billion. Since when did defending the United States become an optional budget item?

As Chinese warships tour the Mediterranean and Iran adds four submarines to its navy, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced this week the closing of the Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) in Norfolk, Va., the first step toward finding $100 billion in savings over the next five years.

The command was just formed in 1999 to improve the ability of the various services to work together and find efficiencies. It employs 5,000 people and will be soon headed by Gen. Ray Odierno, now our commander in Iraq. His new job will be to return home and dismantle JFCOM.

As Gates spoke, two Chinese warships, the destroyer Guangzhou and frigate Chaohu, docked Monday morning in the Greek port of Piraeus, further evidence of its development of a blue-water Navy, complete with aircraft carriers, while it deploys a ballistic missile capable of sinking our carriers at long range.

We could buy the argument that we need to cut bureaucracies and top-heavy staffs if the Pentagon wasn't also slashing and canceling major weapons systems. It would be one thing if we were seeking better ways to meet the threats we face without preparing to fight the last war. It seems we are not preparing to fight any war.

"As we learned last year, you don't necessarily need a billion-dollar guided missile destroyer to chase down and deal with a bunch of teenage pirates wielding AK-47s and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades)," Gates quipped in a recent speech to the Navy League at the Sea-Air-Space expo.

(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: agenda; airforce; army; defense; disarmament; f22; f22raptor; navy; obama; obamalateral; pentagon; raptor; robertgates; savetheraptor; surrender; surrendercrats

1 posted on 08/11/2010 6:04:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
As proof the Marxist Obama and Dim Team want to destroy America, I offer this contrast:

We'll spend $26bil in borrowed money to bail out the teachers unions...but can't come up with the $20bil/yr to keep these military programs alive.

CRIMINAL TREASON and I hope for the day these traitors first stand trial, then hang for their crimes.

2 posted on 08/11/2010 6:09:25 PM PDT by Mariner (USS Tarawa, VQ3, USS Benjamin Stoddert, NAVCAMS WestPac, 7th Fleet, Navcommsta Puget Sound)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

According to IBD article the PLAN docked 2 destroyers complete with aircraft carrier??!! When did the PLAN get aircraft carriers? News to me.


3 posted on 08/11/2010 6:13:35 PM PDT by Fee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Obama and his minions are going to leave America broke, hungry, and defenseless if we don’t stop them immediately.


4 posted on 08/11/2010 6:20:57 PM PDT by o_zarkman44 ("When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." Thomas Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mariner
then hang for their crimes. ...

I'd lobby for drawn and quartered, at least for the ring leaders.

5 posted on 08/11/2010 6:34:12 PM PDT by C210N (0bama, Making the world safe for Marxism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: C210N
However, hanging is such a spectacular, public event.

It brings closure.

6 posted on 08/11/2010 6:55:33 PM PDT by Mariner (USS Tarawa, VQ3, USS Benjamin Stoddert, NAVCAMS WestPac, 7th Fleet, Navcommsta Puget Sound)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: o_zarkman44

The Pentagon has little to do with “defense” and everyhing to do with policing the world and fighting Obama’s wars. Bring the troops home and devote them to true national defense. We can save hundreds of billions per year and by changing their mission in this way advance true national defense.


7 posted on 08/11/2010 6:59:08 PM PDT by Captain Kirk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Its never enough. MIC is insatiable.


8 posted on 08/11/2010 7:00:56 PM PDT by True_Kon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mariner

You misunderstand Obama. He’s more a Woodrow Wilson than a McGovern. As part of his world policing mission, he has drawn us even deeper into the Afghan quagmire, increased the Pentagon budget, and increased the size of active duty forces. Obama wants to expand BOTH the welfare and warfare states at the same time.


9 posted on 08/11/2010 7:01:25 PM PDT by Captain Kirk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
“We could buy the argument that we need to cut bureaucracies and top-heavy staffs if the Pentagon wasn't also slashing and canceling major weapons systems.”

This sentence makes absolutely no sense. ALWAYS cut bureaucracies and top-heavy staffs regardless of the status of spending on weapons systems. And yes, I work for DA.

10 posted on 08/11/2010 7:14:58 PM PDT by pappyone (New to Freep, still working a tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Captain Kirk

you are 100% right, lets defend america not the world. if japan and germany want your troops have them pay for them


11 posted on 08/11/2010 8:28:10 PM PDT by chemengineer42
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Captain Kirk
Bring the troops home and devote them to true national defense.

Yeah, right, wait until the bad guys cross Virginia Beach before you write a real defense bill.

Wooden-gun syndrome went out with isolationism and the building of aircraft with intercontinental range. In an ICBM age, it's national suicide.

You need friends. I don't care who you are. Nobody can hide behind a wide ocean any more. George Washington and Ben Franklin would be among the first to understand that.

12 posted on 08/12/2010 1:05:38 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

The Gathering Storm. Are we prepared? I think not.


13 posted on 08/12/2010 6:06:37 AM PDT by Inwoodian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson