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What do you think of the president's plan for a "leaner" military?

 

 

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A better balance must be struck.

Submitted by Samuel L Chang : Jan 5, 2012 3:31pm

Having read all the comments on this subject that are posted, I do agree with most but would like to add this: As a Soldier that is just now retiring after 23 years active Army service, I have seen alot of waste at all levels. But one huge way to balance the defense buget is to do away with the Billions of wasted dollars given to Military Contractors such as KBR, and Haliburtan the only true winners in the War on Terror. They do jobs that the Army has Soldiers trained on, and they do not do them as well. If this was done the government would not have to make such deep defense cuts, I belive.

Submitted by john.santorojr : Jan 6, 2012 4:23pm

THIER ARE MANY DEPARTMENTS THAT SHOULD BE CUT BEFORE THE MILITARY.

SUCH AS,EDUCATION,WELFARE ENERGY, COMMERCE,
AND SEVERAL OTHERS.

THIS GUY IS GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED

Submitted by DONALD MAYO : Jan 5, 2012 4:10pm

Every member in Congress wants the next Aircraft Carrier, Fighter/Bomber, Missile System, Radar System etc etc built in their district. We just can`t afford it. We`re not fighting WW2 any longer.

Submitted by LakelandBobby : Jan 5, 2012 4:39pm

Such cuts are consistent with his policies and plans for the United States. Who'da known? A 10 year old child would'a!

Submitted by tom343 : Jan 5, 2012 4:44pm

Although I generally oppose the cuts, there are elements of "truth" in the other vote options. Our troops are present in many countries where they should have been pulled out of years ago. Also there is a significant amount of waste but, unfortunately, a lot of this is due to Congress which views defense spending as a form of local district welfare. Lastly, it is not reasonable to expect that we slash our spending without the military taking some of the hit. Active duty military and veterans' benefits and services, however, should be sacrosanct. A promise to someone who places life and limb at risk in the service of his country isn't in the same league as free cell phone service for welfare recipients!

Submitted by Robert I Finkel : Jan 5, 2012 5:12pm

WELL SAID MY GOOD FRIEND. I FEEL THE SAME WAY BUT I AM NOT AS ELOQUENT AS YOU
MAY GOD BLES THE USA

Submitted by mustand_p51 : Jan 5, 2012 5:20pm

What a joke! This guy does not have a clue about anything he's doing. I'm not certain we can recover from the damages he has already inflicted on us. I for certain know that we cannot sustain another four years of the antics.
May God Bless our precious country, what is left of it anyway.

Submitted by mustand_p51 : Jan 5, 2012 5:16pm

After we have given money to those who are out to kill all Americans, After we have opened Our Doors to anyone and everyone.
No this is Crazy, we do need to cut back on spending but not at the risk of the Safety and Lives of Our Troops and Our Vets who have done there part. Cut out the Fat and Fraud in the White House and other Government Offices!

Submitted by chiefbuzzbee : Jan 5, 2012 5:30pm

This administration has made us look weak to the world (just look at tiny nations such as Iran laughing at us). We need a strong military more than ever before! I agree that we could do with less presence in places like Japan, Germany and S. Korea and other countries who could pay more and provide for their own self defense. Why are we still wasting billions in the middle east to rebuild their countries when our own infrastructure is crumbling! They should be repaying us with all their oil money, not looking for us to keep pouring money into their corrupt governments! Let's re-deploy our forces and spend smarter to be more efficient with our dollars and soldiers!

Submitted by NJ Missileman : Jan 5, 2012 5:31pm

Having worked for the Army for 43 years. I know there is a lot of waste - primarily in organizational structure. Many organizations were created in all services to find jobs for returning overseas service members and to create GO positions. Unfortunately the focus appears to be on reducing the "teeth" (fighting force) and not the "tail". The BRAC actons were long overdue to reduce military costs. We don't need more aircraft or carriers, but we do need to retain the expertise at the aircraft companies and shipyards so we will need to continue buying these items we don't really need.

Submitted by Hampton Hal : Jan 5, 2012 5:45pm

Thanks to the idiot bowing before foreign heads of state, the military is the LAST thing to face budget or personnel cuts. He made such a big deal telling the enemy when we were leaving the area that they will just wait until we are gone, and start their bombings and killings. There is a need for better oversight on budget items so that expenses can be better kept on track. Since Iran seems to be the next place we are going to end up, any budget cuts or downsizing to the military would jst go to show how incompenent of a president he really is. Remember November 2, 2012 and vote! Make sure we no longer have to put up with this moron.

Submitted by USMick78 : Jan 5, 2012 6:11pm

The President and Secretary of Defense, of course, are responding to the laws passed by a Republican-dominated Congress. It is Congress that has required the current $490B reduction in growth of the Defense budget and of the additional billions of Sequestration cuts to begin in FY 2013. The challenge lies in the best way to trim the Defense budget without harming our readiness and without breaking faith with current and past members of the Uniformed Services. Winding down of Cold War relics, elimination of weapons programs that can't meet design or budget, and reduction of future people programs that don't impact health, safety, or retirement are the ways to go. Keeping Senator X's favorite toy project is not the way to go. Maybe we need a BRAC for overseas bases. Should we still be in Bosnia, the Sinai, Germany, Spain, Italy? Do the analysis and decide just as we did for US bases and facilities. Remember the Brooklyn, Boston, Charleston, Philadelphia, Long Beach and Mare Island Naval shipyards? All long since closed.

Submitted by reikirobyn : Jan 5, 2012 6:59pm

I see it this way. Once Obama is found to be unconstitutional, he will lose his presidential immunity. Then he can be prosecuted as the communist traitor he is.

Submitted by spaceweasel : Jan 5, 2012 8:59pm

One of the constitutional jobs of the federal govt. is to provide for the national defense. Not all of the social programs it has taken on to get votes.

Submitted by tommyB : Jan 6, 2012 5:04am

What can I say, so many good accurate comments, I concur with so many, we must get this whatever you call him out of office, he has brought our country Down and he continues, remember to vote Nov 2012, NO obummer for me.
Post 10 Manassas, Va. is my post, these are my thoughts

Submitted by ken palmer : Jan 6, 2012 7:15am

I retired from federal service after working for the Navy.

There is massive waste in all gov't agencies and the military is no different.
I am in favor of spending cuts as long as it is done in the right way.

Former Sec. of the Navy Rumsfeld tried to reorganize to make the new military more effective.

With that said I do NOT believe the Obama admin will do anything "in the right way".

Submitted by Quick Enough : Jan 6, 2012 9:40am

Im not surprised. This pres was the first in decades that did not lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and now he cuts national defense. All veterans should remember this on election day

During ww 2 there was Churchill and Chamberland, unfortunatly we are stuck with Chamberland

Submitted by dsro26 : Jan 6, 2012 9:46am

Cutting our Military budget and shrinking our right to protect "OUR" United States of AMERICA is wrong so wrong. It's Obamas way of saying " screw you America and all you Veterans!

Submitted by knucklebuster48 : Jan 6, 2012 1:00pm

We simply cannot afford to keep funding the military at its current rate. This next budget is still going to see an increase in military spending. If it wasn't for the Bush administration taking us into countries where we should never have gone, this might not have come to pass.
This President is doing the right thing, just like the reduction in force 20 years ago. So just how do you think reducing the size of the military makes us less safe?

Oh, and this isn't WWII, ok? We are not at war with any country, right? Why is everyone so gung ho on war? Have you learned nothing?

Submitted by sander034 : Jan 6, 2012 3:59pm

We are the greatest, strongest armed forces on this earth because we have the resources to provide the best training, the best equipment, the best personnel. That does not come free. Lets cut the almost criminal pork barrel spending, the political "paybacks," welfare, boot the United Nations out of our country and eliminate foreign aid for all but our true allies.

Submitted by jbamesa : Jan 6, 2012 7:07pm

We have a so-called CINC, who is a usurper and a traitor to his oath, his office, and the USA. His purpose is to destroy the nation -- to leave it weakened and vulnerable. He is the domestic enemy to the Constitution we all swore to defend against. So ... how are we defending?

Submitted by John Pierre-Benoist : Jan 7, 2012 12:21am

This president is the worst this country has ever had, and all he wants is power and a government that runs everything. If he is reelected I'm afraid our country will never be what it has been in the past and for sure not what our founding fathers had in mind. To "lean" our military is the most stupid thing that could be done. What did it accomplish when Carter did it? Want to save $$, then cut some of the welfare to those that don't deserve it. Cut the pay of the President and Congress. Cut bailing out companies that go belly up. Cut aid to countries that oppose us. Cut high $$ for oil from countries that hate us, and install the Keystone Pipeline and use our own oil from the Gulf and Alaska.

Please Americans vote for and put anyone in the White House other than the one that is now there. He and the crooks that support him will ruin our country for years to come. You, your children and grandchildren will have anything but a good "AMERICAN" style life with Obama.

Submitted by Guy D. Greene : Jan 7, 2012 12:29pm

Obama and Soros's Utopia does not in the Military

Submitted by SFC007 : Jan 9, 2012 9:30am

Once again, gutless politicians take aim at the military budget because they do not have the intestinal fortitude to go over after all the social welfare programs and bloated government departments that really are draining our budgetary resources. My recommendation is to cut welfare and other social welfare programs so that the only truly needy stay on it. Paying for other people's poor decisions and in some cases immoral lifestyles is not the taxpayer's responsibility. Allowing single mothers to keep having children at taxpayer expense is just wrong. Where are the deadbeat fathers? They should be forced to pay first, then the government should only provide what is needed. There are countless stories of single teenage moms having numerous children with numerous fathers. If they can't take care of the children they have, they should either stop having them or put them up for adoption. I don't mind helping those who are hurting, but when someone games the system, it is time to start with some tough love. We also need to revise medicare, social security, and social security disabilty so that it will last. All are going broke because we try to be all things to all people. The current rip off is people who have run out of unemployment are now going to social security disabilty for depression, lack of sleep, and stress and they are acutally getting it. People with kids with learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit disorders etc, are getting it also. It was never meant to do this and we are now facing huge deficits that are killing the budget.

Submitted by tominpa : Mar 25, 2012 2:03pm