Should The Strategy Come After Defense Is Cut, Or Before?

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Cut Defense Now, Build Strategy Later -- Harvey Sapolsky, Aol Defense

With defense spending cuts looming, Pentagon leaders and their Beltway boosters are using strategy to stall. They argue that cuts must follow program changes that flow in turn from revised national security strategy. Cutting without a strategy, they say, means cutting foolishly and overburdening the shrunken force. So decide the strategy first and then make the cuts accordingly.

But defense cuts don't require new strategy. Coherent national strategy is elusive, especially, now, when threats are limited. Waiting for a new strategic consensus before cutting means waiting forever, which is what hawks want. And sensible defense spending cuts are already identifiable, new strategy or not.

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My Comment: I do not share this assessment .... but .... it is going to happen anyway. Trillion dollar plus deficits can only be sustained for a limited period of time .... and for the U.S. .... that time is now. Expect the cuts first .... followed by the strategy.