Why Are We Rusing To Cut Defense Spending?

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen hold a press briefing on "DoD Efficiencies" that mark the next major step in the Defense Department's reform agenda in the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 6, 2011. DoD photo by Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison, U.S. Air Force.

The Risky Rush to Cut Defense Spending -- Newsweek

No one has figured out how to make cuts without jeopardizing security.

As we begin a new year, the United States is at a major crossroads in foreign policy. The end of 2010 saw North Korea’s assault on the disputed Yeonpyeong Island, the revelation that Pyongyang had developed a secret, highly sophisticated uranium enrichment plant with 2,000 centrifuges, and, of course, the massive WikiLeaks dump that jeopardized diplomacy around the world.

These incidents are just a few highlights of the foreign policy complications the U.S. must deal with, in addition to the ongoing challenges to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions, prevent al Qaeda threats from around the globe, and fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet for mostly good and some bad reasons, all the discussion back at home is about how to reduce defense spending, without giving any serious attention to what we need to do to maintain the strongest possible defense to meet the myriad challenges before us.

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My Comment: This is a well written article from Newsweek. It provides a good summary of what is happening .... and asks the right questions on "are we doing the right thing". The last paragraph summarizes everything perfectly .....

..... We must have this debate on how and where to cut defense spending as a country and bring this discussion to the forefront of our national discourse, rather than simply rely on policymakers or the defense industry to make these decisions on their own. Washington is not known for coming together over many issues, but considering our enormous deficit during a time when national security clearly must not be sacrificed, all sides are going to need to work together. If we fail to do so, WikiLeaks will be the least of our problems this new year.

On a side note, Foreign Policy Magazine looks at the math.