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Obama’s ‘review’ could be DoD’s lifeline

By Philip Ewing Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 4:49 pm
Posted in Policy

As expected, President Obama said today that DoD’s budget will be included in the whole-of-government effort to get America’s deficit and budget under control. He proposed a total savings of $400 billion by 2023. (That would be on top of whatever the U.S. saves as operations wind down in Iraq and Afghanistan — or so the White House hopes.) The Pentagon just did a big budget drill to look for the $78 billion in “savings,” much of which is projected lack of growth, that Secretary Gates sold to the White House. Now, apparently, everybody’s going to do it all over again.

Here are the relevant paragraphs, per the White House’s official version of the speech:

“As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than protecting our national security, and I will never accept cuts that compromise our ability to defend our homeland or America’s interests around the world. But as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mullen, has said, the greatest long-term threat to America’s national security is America’s debt.

Just as we must find more savings in domestic programs, we must do the same in defense. Over the last two years, Secretary Gates has courageously taken on wasteful spending, saving $400 billion in current and future spending. I believe we can do that again. We need to not only eliminate waste and improve efficiency and effectiveness, but conduct a fundamental review of America’s missions, capabilities, and our role in a changing world. I intend to work with Secretary Gates and the Joint Chiefs on this review, and I will make specific decisions about spending after it’s complete.”

It didn’t take long for the Pentagon to warn that cuts at this level would mean real-world effects across the Corporation: “‘[Gates] has been clear that further significant defense cuts cannot be accomplished without reducing force structure and military capability,’ said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell,” as Reuters’ Missy Ryan reported.

That’s true, but by agreeing to make cuts only after a “review,” the White House has given DoD a chance to chart its own course through this sewer, rather than be dragged along. Gates, Mullen and even their successors — depending on how long this exercise lasts — will get a chance to offer up the programs and expenditures they like least, rather than just getting an email saying, “cut your budget by 15 percent.”

The next phase in this saga will be: What goes away? The Marines’ F-35B, perhaps? The Air Force’s beloved next-generation bomber? The Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle? The Navy’s next-generation SSBN? The services all would say their programs are super-essential to America’s security, but at this rate, the budget-cutting fever in Washington may never break, and it could burn up still more major programs. Maybe programs will stay in effect but troops stationed overseas could begin coming home. Maybe the end strength cuts Gates has proposed for the Army and Marine Corps will be deeper and sooner than planned.

What do you think will be on the chopping block? What should be? What should DoD protect at all costs?

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	Taxpayer April 13th, 2011 at 5:07 pm President’s own deficit commission said R&D and procurement had doubled in last ten years and needed to be cut substantially back to 2000 levels (when the budget level still supported fighting an evil empire that had already collapsed). That’s $24B saved. Then cutting one-third of all overseas bases and their personnel (inlcuding military) will save another $12B. (Just turn them over to locals so they can paiy for their own defense. That is, if they really believe they are being threatened by someone.) Those two broad approaches alone will cut the defense budget by about 7%. DoD has never made the combat UAV pricing substitution for manned combat aircraft yet either. There’s more savings without diminishing capability. So, DoD, let’s get going. And this part of a budget cutting drill — making real decisions and not protecting the pet rocks — hasn’t been done yet. I know. I used to play in that world.
	William C. April 13th, 2011 at 5:15 pm How about we stop wasting money in that black hole known as Afghanistan and not gut the DoD budget, but keep it the same and stop being so damn inefficient with everything? As usual the military will get the short end of the stick while entitlements are untouched and every other aspect of the federal government continues to grow bloated.
	Guest April 13th, 2011 at 5:23 pm If I had to guess I would venture the new boomers get the axe as Obama has stated he wants a nuclear weapon free world.
	Steve Statkus April 13th, 2011 at 5:46 pm Terminate the F-35, MV-22, NGB, New SSN’s, New Carriers. Scrap two curent carriers immediately and one per year until we get to 8. Bring troops back from permanent duty in S Korea, Germany and 1/2 of the total in Japan which would include the carrier battle group stationed there. Having done that, take a wrecking ball to the outer two rings of the puzzle palace. Eliminate immediately 10% of the admirals and generals (all services) and pare them down 10% per year until they are at 50% current levels. At that time relook at the make up and continue to cut. Reduce duplication by closing the USN’s flight test center and relocating it to Edwards AFB. Take 1/4 of the Marine Amphibious Attack ships and retrofit and relocate to areas around the globe for humanitarian missions. Train the excess personnel for those missions. Then, change the name of our DOD to the US Defense Forces for a start.
	Steve Statkus April 13th, 2011 at 5:46 pm Also, relook at the term “national interests” and adopt the Powell doctrine for waging war. Take that option out of the president’s hands and force the congress to make those decisions. If war is decided upon, all members of congress shall be drafted immediately. They should be forced to wear an uniform until the conflict is resolved. All internal congressional business is put on hold until the conflict is ended. Just some thoughts for one whose served and observed.
	William C. April 13th, 2011 at 5:50 pm Are you insane? It’s one thing to get rid of most of our overseas bases, but scrapping two carriers and all of those programs? Without those bases assets like NGB and the Navy submarines and ships become more important.
	superraptor April 13th, 2011 at 5:58 pm Well a dispassionate strategic analysis could come to the conclusion that cancellation of the F-35 program altgother would save 1 trillion dollars and production of 400 additional upgraded F-22s at 80 billion total would not only make the USAF more lethal, but also result in real net savings as these F-22s could be complemented by UCAVs and new 4th Generation fighters with AESA/IRST etc which are a lot cheaper than 2443 F-35s at now 150 million plus each. I am afraid that politics will not allow an honest strategic review and we may see that strategic vital systems will be cut while marginal programs will be allowed to devour the ever shrinking defense budget
	juan234 April 13th, 2011 at 7:29 pm Yeah, let’s gut defense so that crook Obama can shovel more money to his cronies. Obama truly has neither shame nor decency.
	moose April 13th, 2011 at 8:09 pm For one, end the Goldwater-Nichols mandate to balance spending between the services. The Army is larger than it needs to be, and the Navy is shrinking in a time when it’s only getting busier. Don’t get me started on the Air Force.
	Drake1 April 13th, 2011 at 8:10 pm One word… NATO.
	clovisman April 13th, 2011 at 9:49 pm To make this happen we need to make everyone in DoD accountable. Start with the Program Managers and the agency heads. Hold them accountable for meeting performance goals, and budget goals. Fund the programs so proper technical oversight can be done at all stages. Bring on experienced systems engineers, developmental testers, contract officers and budget hawks. The contractors will only get away with whatever the DoD lets them get away with. DoD needs to force them to bring on skilled performers. If the DoD can get it together they can make these savings and actually put stuff out to the field that works as intended. On time and on budget. But accountability is key. We currently reward failure for those at the top. NO MORE!!!
	Oblat April 13th, 2011 at 10:16 pm Surrender in Afghanistan so that fat defense contractors don’t have to go on a diet. Like the contractors he shills for Bill loyalty is primarily to his own pocketbook, not to say he’s not ever ready to wave the flag for America, but it comes a distant last.
	Oblat April 13th, 2011 at 10:19 pm The contractors are the cronies. But as Bill says they will be pushing that they get an increased part of the shrinking pie. They have long been lobbying that serviceman housing, benefits etc even for ongoing wars be cut so that they can keep their profits.
	William C. April 13th, 2011 at 11:24 pm Tell me Oblatski, what do we lose by letting the Afghans kill each other for another few centuries? Go back to being drunk 24/7 and making shoddy parts in whatever ex-Soviet wasteland you live in.
	William C. April 13th, 2011 at 11:42 pm Can we do that with Congress to?
	C W "Trigger" Miller April 14th, 2011 at 1:41 am Eliminate JSF Immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the Best decision Congress can make. After contacting all the Senators and Congressman myself with the correct information, rather than this Hippocratic bull the Generals, Admirals and Integrators are smoking, I think JSF will be cancelled. Thank the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Senior Leadership at the Pentagon along with Gates should have the guts to walk into Lockheed Martin the way Dick Chaney did in 1992 and tell Lockheed to pack sand and Cancel the Program!!! Whatever happened to LEADERSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have plenty of other weapons that are a magnitude of order more leathal than JSF. In fact they could cancel and stop fling F-22 and purchase lethal long range AIM-120 type Air-Air Missiles, Network Enabled Weapons with TTNT integrated with a PK Rate over 40% instead of <20% and we would be much better off in the short and long-term. We could carry these weapons on any UAV from anywhere in the world. I think Congress will get a Grip and the Integrators and Wall Street will have just have to suffer along with the rest of the US
	C W "Trigger" Miller April 14th, 2011 at 2:02 am Cannot wait to see JSF’s Cancelled and the corpse being towed to the front Gate of your local base with an “Eye Beam” Shoved up its augmenter, all the way to the COCKPIT. I think then and only then, will this put an end this “Black Hole Funding” and decisively drive a stake in the heart of this this “Warlock” or “Demon Seed” Program once and for ALL.
	C W "Trigger" Miller April 14th, 2011 at 2:05 am Chopping Block, shopping list: JSF, F-22, Next Gen Bomber. These three platforms alone would pay off the National Debit in Savings. This is not hard.
	Guest April 14th, 2011 at 2:44 am Trigger: Has anyone mentioned to you that you are quite possibly INSANE?
	STemplar April 14th, 2011 at 3:40 am I don’t think the Pentagon or anyone in DC is capable of self auditing defense and making good decisions so the whole exercise is a waste. What’s needed is an independent and honest analysis of threats, real threats, not the bogeyman excuses that are used. An analysis of the likely operations. Then match capabilities. I just don’ t think DoD or Congress or the WH are capable of doing it. Winding down OPS in Iraq and Stan are the least painful biggest ways to save money, although it’s going to take time. There are plenty of over budget under performing systems to hit with the axe, but the political will just isn’t there.
	C W "Trigger" Miller April 14th, 2011 at 4:11 am Yes, actually INSANELY Honest. Thanks
	Witherspoon April 14th, 2011 at 8:50 am For all you DoD-budget haters, SECDEF and the Services have been and are today making extraordinarily difficult cuts that are already compromising the long-term capability of our military to conduct and sustain the missions we’ve been assigned to perform. It might be helpful to remember that the Constitution explicitly gives the Federal government the responsibility and authority to provide for the defense of the nation, but does not anywhere articulate a duty to provide for healthcare or retirement benefits, for instance (review Article I, Section 8…and there’s no room to expand the “general welfare” clause to include those functions). So, while there undoubtedly are things DoD could do more efficiently, the real bastions of waste and abuse lie in the non-discretionary entitlement portions of the Federal budget that consume 43% of the spending (vs. 20% to defense), and they aren’t even in the charter of the Federal government to perform. That’s where you should focus your ire.
	BOOMER April 14th, 2011 at 9:10 am OK I’m a 24yr vet so I may be a bit bias but I feel I earned my measly monthly check just as many of you never served folks feel you earned you retirement from your union jobs after 20 or so years. If you want to attack non-discretionary entitlements you need to look at all the freebees given to congress for 1 term for the rest of thier lives, where in the constitution does it say we have to provide welfare checks and food stamps to drug addicts — prostitues — ex cons — sick lame and lazy — illegal immigrants (not saying that all who recieve are in that category but we know many are), how come there is no investigative unit to prevent this from happening or a reform pannel to put tighter controls on who gets it. I grow so weary about those who claim the military is the problem draining America and taking away from them — such BS, you wouldnt have any rights or freedoms at all if it were not for the military — MAN UP & JOIN UP for a first hand look or SHUT UP. Next you types will go after the police and fire dept for taking away from you as well I bet.
	BOOMER April 14th, 2011 at 9:17 am As far as reducing the size of the NAVY & MARINES, what part of reducing the size of overseas military assets did you not get. With the number of AF and Army bases being move conus it will require more carrier and MEU deployments in the future to maintain our readiness and reaction capability. How are you going to do this by reducing the number of carriers, ships, subs and amphibs units. In reality you are likely to see more of them and not less as more responsibility falls upon the NAVY for foward deployment responsibilities.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 9:44 am The AIM-120 does not have a PK % of less than a Vietnam-era Sparrow. What happens when the enemy can jam our link to these air-superiority UAVs? If we have them operate autonomously there is a huge risk they will start shooting off missiles at aircraft that aren’t confirmed to be those of the enemy.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 9:45 am Warlock? Is it Charlie Sheen’s new fighter or something?
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 9:49 am Suggesting we cancel the F-35 is one thing, but you want scrap those few F-22s we do have? If the F-35 is cancelled we are going to need new F-22s. Soonor or later our current bombers will have to be retired too. While we are at it lets scrap our F-15s, F-16s, and F/A-18s too and go back to flying biplanes.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 11:20 am Fire Gates, Mullins, and the Air Force Leadership along with the rest of the Academy Grads that have been taught to be politically correct and of course never make a decision, idiots and put some leadership back in the Pentagon. Let’s go back to the Powell Doctrine. Stop the integrators from pushing crap we do not NEED.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 11:28 am You sound a lot like C W “Trigger” Miller. When it comes to political correctness it seems that is forced by those in DC rather than those officers in charge of the services.
	asdf April 14th, 2011 at 11:45 am i heard that you could save ~180bn if you terminate f-35.
	asdf April 14th, 2011 at 11:52 am more f-22 is the answer for the usa air superiority. the strike eagles can do the rest with a couple of f-16b60? and replace aamram with meteor or jdradm asap. and anyway, most of the abroad shooting is done by navy anyway, so rid of the 35c and develop some real bastards — f/a-xx as golden bullets. the ucav and f-18 can take care of the rest.
	BOOMER April 14th, 2011 at 12:07 pm Actualy the ring knockers have been cowering ever since McArthur & Patton were exiled for not being hind end kissers and for standing up to the pres and congress. So you are both kinda right — it is pounded into them at the academy to conform to control or get out because your carrer depends upon it. If any senior officer tries to act like they still have a spine to stand up to someone they dont outrank they are soon relieved of duty and quietly discharged.
	BOOMER April 14th, 2011 at 12:26 pm I hear you could quadrupple that by not paying for special school programs for illegal aliens or giving them welfare — food stamps — SS — medicare — medicade — and pell grants for colledge education. I also heard you could double it again by not permitting drug addicts — exconns — and prostitutes from recieving welfare — food stamps — SS — medicare — and medicade. You could also increase the savings again by putting a max limmit for dependents for recipients of welfare — food stamps so that people are not sitting at home making more dependents instead of getting a job. They could also put a max term limit on how long you can draw welfare — food stamps — medicade so it doesnt become a carre for folks till they can switch over to SS and medicare. No there are worse drains which are not even required of the govt on the American taxpayers than the military but no politician has the testicle fortitude to stand up to it. Well fare of the people in the Constitution related to the well being of them — not a govt guaranteed check every month as it has become. .
	Charles Knight April 14th, 2011 at 2:36 pm The options available through the report of the Sustainable Defense Task Force allow for more than twice $400 billion in DoD cuts in ten years: http://www.comw.org/pda/fulltext/1006SDTFreport.pdf There is discussion of strategic adjustments in the report as well. There is plenty of room for safe modification of strategy and budget.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 2:51 pm 180 Billion is cheaper than $150,000,000.00 each times 2600 over the life cycle of the program which will be over 2 Trillion.
	BreakTheCycle April 14th, 2011 at 2:51 pm Thanks that is a great report! I believe that we could terminate all of our overrunning, failing programs, replace them with programs based on non-developmental/COTS items, and start new competetive prototyping programs to develop replacements for the canceled programs. We’d save $, recapitalize our force structure faster, and get started on the next generation of weapon systems faster.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 2:53 pm I agree with Trig. This is easy. Chopping Block list: JSF, F-22, Next Gen Bomber. These three platforms alone would pay off the National Debit in Savings.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 3:35 pm No they wouldn’t. The debt would still be massive and the USAF would be left with no new aircraft.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 3:38 pm That strategy proposes downright insane cuts. Why must defense be the sacrifice for unsustainable entitlement and government spending unrelated to defense? The same thing that happens to the UK will happen to us. The debt will still be a problem and the politicians will keep cutting the military in a cycle that fails to solve the underlying problems.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 3:40 pm Chopping Block list: JSF, F-22, Next Gen Bomber. These three platforms alone would pay off the National Debit in Savings.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 3:46 pm What we ought to do is stop paying for and maintaining so many foreign bases and facilities worldwide, only the necessary ones should be kept. No need to keep troops in Germany or South Korea. That and Gate’s efficiency efforts should be enough from the defense budget. JLTV should also either be restructured or canceled as currently the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle it is anything but “light”. Then the government needs to concentrate on the real spending problems, and those aren’t related to defense.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 3:52 pm Chopping Block, shopping list: JSF, F-22, Next Gen Bomber, Stealth Ships. Fire Admiral Mullins, and the Air Force Leadership. Make the Marine Corps a Seperate Branch, Cut the Navy Ship Building to a normal level, Give the Marine Corps and Army all the support possible. Keep a few oversea’s bases open in various areas for quick deployment and close the rest. Consolidate the Bases overseas. We have Marine Bases, Navy Bases, Army Posts, and Air Forces Bases all seperate. Consolidate them all. This is not hard.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 3:53 pm Chopping Block, shopping list: JSF, F-22, Next Gen Bomber, Stealth Ships. Fire Admiral Mullins, and the Air Force Leadership. Make the Marine Corps a Seperate Branch, Cut the Navy Ship Building to a normal level, Give the Marine Corps and Army all the support possible. Keep a few oversea’s bases open in various areas for quick deployment and close the rest. Consolidate the Bases overseas. We have Marine Bases, Navy Bases, Army Posts, and Air Forces Bases all seperate. Consolidate them all. These three platforms alone would pay off the National Debit in Savings. This is not hard.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 14th, 2011 at 3:54 pm Chopping Block, shopping list: JSF, F-22, Next Gen Bomber, Stealth Ships. Fire Admiral Mullins, and the Air Force Leadership. Make the Marine Corps a Seperate Branch, Cut the Navy Ship Building to a normal level, Give the Marine Corps and Army all the support possible. Keep a few oversea’s bases open in various areas for quick deployment and close the rest. Consolidate the Bases overseas. We have Marine Bases, Navy Bases, Army Posts, and Air Forces Bases all seperate. Consolidate them all. These three platforms alone would pay off the National Debit in Savings. This is not hard.
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 3:57 pm Nice spam there comrade. How about we don’t scrap all three of the USAF’s aircraft programs or cut ship-building to an even lower level than it already is? Why do you want to fire this Admiral and USAF leadership so badly?
	Guest April 14th, 2011 at 4:58 pm The DoD haters are largely foreign nationals trying to subvert our national spirit from the inside, and the liberal dupes who believe their multicultural rubbish.
	asdf April 14th, 2011 at 5:14 pm (for the first part) yeah, and then enjoy you’re crime surge.
	asdf April 14th, 2011 at 5:19 pm new build f-15e and f-16–60? and larger f-22 force as the silver bullet? all the shooting abroad is done by the navy in the first place (more or less, but with closing of the bases it’s more), so they should get a silver bullet too, in the form of f/a-xx. the sh or uavs should take care of policing and strike after the initial sanitization of the airspace and sam defense IMO any comments?
	sferrin April 14th, 2011 at 5:44 pm Someone will have to let the retard know that just because he wants nukes gone doesn’t mean everybody else does. China will NEVER give them up. Neither will Russia. Why should they?
	William C. April 14th, 2011 at 7:11 pm He wants to cut the F-22 too. New F-15s and F-16s couldn’t make up for that gap.
	bobbymike April 14th, 2011 at 8:08 pm Way to miss the point completely. As for Obama’s speech when the Obama worshiping Washington Post says it was empty rhetoric then well…
	bobbymike April 14th, 2011 at 8:14 pm At this moment, FY2010, the JSF budget is, what, $10 billion, NGB $1 billion, F-22’s since they are paid for cost a couple of billion in “cost to operate’ annually? So let’s be really high and say for FY2011 these programs will cost $30 billion out of a $1.65 trillion deficit. Cancel all three and that covers 2% of one year of deficits, wow that ought to cover it.
	Firefox April 15th, 2011 at 7:25 am Really bad news for the F-35, I would say complete cancellation is a real option now.
	Tricky Dick April 18th, 2011 at 1:37 pm Obama should fire defense contractor yes-men Gates, Mullins, ‘Hoss’ Cartwright and all of the Air Force senior leadership. Then fire all of the military academy grads that have been taught to be politically correct and of course never make a decision. They are idiots and we need to put some leadership back in the Pentagon. Gates wants to keep all of the joint military commands. They are not needed and should be closed down. Let’s go back to the FY2001 budget for defense and get out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Obama and Gates should also fire all 2,500 senior mentors hanging around the water coolers doing nothing, but drawing their $400,000 a year defense contractor paychecks and military pensions.
	J "AJ" Donnley April 18th, 2011 at 11:23 pm Crap Can the Following: B-2 (Air-Condition Wonder of the World), NGB, JSF and F-22. Stealth is Dead (See information below) and there is simply no reason to have a manned aircraft flying over any target anywhere in the World under any circumstances. We have Stand-Off Strike Weapons as well as Unmanned Strikers that can eliminate any Target including Grass Huts and Camel Factories. The S-400 better known as the SA-21 Triumf has the following characteristics for all you home gamers: The S-400 SA-21 is capable of destroying stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with an effective range of up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and a speed of up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second. Did you really think after we lost the F-117 in 1999 that our enemies would not exploit this data and find a WAY TO DEFETE STEALTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where have you people Been. WE are flogging a DEAD Horse and SPENDING Billions and TRILLION on outdated Technology… e.g. JSF, B-2, and NGB. For what??? Grass Huts and Camel Farms: Fire Gates, Mullins and All of the Air Force Senior LEADERSHIP for allowing this to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	J "AJ" Donnley April 18th, 2011 at 11:24 pm Crap Can the Following: B-2 (Air-Condition Wonder of the World), NGB, JSF and F-22. Stealth is Dead (See information below) and there is simply no reason to have a manned aircraft flying over any target anywhere in the World under any circumstances. We have Stand-Off Strike Weapons as well as Unmanned Strikers that can eliminate any Target including Grass Huts and Camel Factories. The S-400 better known as the SA-21 Triumf has the following characteristics for all you home gamers: The S-400 SA-21 is capable of destroying stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with an effective range of up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and a speed of up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second. Did you really think after we lost the F-117 in 1999 that our enemies would not exploit this data and find a WAY TO DEFETE STEALTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where have you people Been. WE are flogging a DEAD Horse and SPENDING Billions and TRILLION on outdated Technology… e.g. JSF, B-2, and NGB. For what??? Grass Huts and Camel Farms
	Wendy July 14th, 2011 at 11:44 am Does anyone know when this “review” is due out? …and …Will it be made public? I don’t see how we can afford deeper DoD cuts and still keep our troops and our country safe…all while policing the rest of the world too.

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