Defense Chief Urges Big Cuts In Military Spending 449
Hugh Pickens writes "The NY Times reports that US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says the Pentagon is wasting money it will no longer get, and focused on targets as diverse as the large number of generals and admirals, the layers of bureaucracy in the Pentagon, and the cost of military health care. 'The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, opened a gusher of defense spending that nearly doubled the base budget over the last decade,' Gates says. 'Military spending on things large and small can and should expect closer, harsher scrutiny. The gusher has been turned off, and will stay off for a good period of time.' Gates, a Republican who was carried over as Defense Secretary from the Bush administration, has already canceled or trimmed 30 weapons programs with long-term savings predicted at $330 billion, but is now seeking to convert as much as 3% of spending from 'tail' to 'tooth' — military slang for converting spending from support services to combat forces. While this may not seem like a significant savings in the Pentagon's base budget, cuts of any size are certain to run hard against entrenched constituencies. Gates's critique of top-heavy headquarters overseas was underscored by the location of the speech — the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. President Eisenhower, the supreme allied commander in Europe during World War II, warned the nation of the menacing influence of an emerging 'military-industrial complex' in his farewell address as president in 1960. 'Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals,' said Eisenhower, 'so that security and liberty may prosper together.'"
Re:In the same speech (Score:3, Funny)
Goes against the teachings of Athena.
Re:That's nice (Score:3, Funny)
> It's nice to see Mr. Gates being so active in his retirement. After running Microsoft for so long, running the US Military must be a nice break for him.
> It looks like he's using his business acumen to streamline the military.
Don't worry. Military spending will come to a screeching halt when he's done with Operation Bluescreen!
Budget cuts (Score:4, Funny)
When your budget is greater than your earning power, things must be cut. That's just the way it is and anyone with a brain can understand that. As such, I expect that the US Military will accept the cuts logically and maturely... Much like the Greek people.
Re:I like Ike (Score:5, Funny)
it was much harder to call the man who lead the largest amphibious invasion in history a pussy.
A frog, sure, maybe even a salamander... But never a pussy.
Re:It may be hippie bullshit, but it's TRUE (Score:3, Funny)
There's little-known home boy from back in the day that said the same things too. Here, you should check him out. [wikipedia.org]
Re:In the same speech (Score:4, Funny)
Maybe a sufficiently advanced scientific-technological elite's control of public policy is indistinguishable from no control at all.
Everyone knows the elite use magic, not sufficiently advanced technology, to control society.
Re:Moderate parent up! (Score:3, Funny)
Easy. Stop all carbon emissions and atmospheric pollutants, and see what happens over the next few decades. If there's no statistically significant drop in the rate of temperature change, then carbon emissions and other atmospheric pollutants weren't the (sole) cause. Wait, is that what they're already asking us to do? See? They're not asking us to stop polluting because they know it's bad -- they're asking us to stop so they can get the data they need to falsify your claim that pollution isn't the problem. Just good science.