Battle lines are being drawn over the announcement that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' proposed cuts of a major military command and other staff. Various members of Virginia's congressional delegation, that includes both its senators and house members, are vowing to fight these cuts as they believe it will harm the nations national security.
The announcement was the first major step by Gates to find $100 billion in savings over the next five years. Gates says the money is needed elsewhere within the Defense Department to repair a force ravaged by years of war and to prepare troops for the next fight. "The culture of endless money that has taken hold must be replaced by a culture of savings and restraint," he said at a press conference.
The biggest obstacle for the Defense Secretary will be convincing a reluctant Congress who look only at what is best for their district or states. In the past many in Congress have fought cuts and maintained weapons programs that the Defense Department didn't ask for or needed.
California's two U.S. senators both fought to keep funding for the C-17 cargo aircraft that the Air Force didn't want or need, but was forced to keep at the cost of $2.7 billion dollars. The cargo plane is built in Long Beach, California; both Senators cited national security and economic reasons.
Again you will hear the talk of why we must not cut the Pentagon budget as it will harm the nations security, but one only has to listen to the words of Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when he states, "I think the biggest threat we have to our national security is our debt".
Washington had better listen!
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