Putting the Pentagon on a Diet: Will Bad Times and a Bad Economy Finally Discipline the Pentagon?

[marmar]

from TomDispatch:



Putting the Pentagon on a Diet
Will Bad Times and a Bad Economy Finally Discipline the Pentagon?

By Christopher Hellman


Is that the wake-up smell of coffee wafting through the halls of the Pentagon? After a decade and a half of unparalleled budget growth, top Defense Department officials are finally talking about the possible end of their spending spree. And they’re not alone.

In recent years, Republicans and Democrats in Congress and successive administrations have not only repeatedly resisted efforts to control Pentagon spending, but regularly pushed for more dollars to go into the defense and national security budgets. And many of them still are.

Nonetheless, with the current economic situation bringing suffering, foreclosure, and unemployment to millions, and concerns about spiraling deficits as well as a staggering national debt, the first faint signs of a possible mood change in Washington on the issue of the Pentagon budget are appearing. Military spending may, in fact, finally be edging its way into an increasingly fierce budget debate. This could prove a rare window of opportunity, unmatched since the moment the discussion of a “peace dividend” faded into the woodwork bare years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

Overmatching the World

Last February, President Obama announced the formation of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to advise his new administration on options for addressing the national debt. The commission has just begun its deliberations and already some of its members are stating publicly that, as they consider their options for cutting government spending, “everything is on the table,” including the military budget. In the Washington we’ve known since talk of that “peace dividend” disappeared, this simple fact qualifies as eye-opening.

In response to the formation of the commission, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), long an outspoken opponent of unnecessary military spending, has convened a panel of national security experts, the Sustainable Defense Task Force. Its job is to generate a series of recommendations on how to cut the defense budget while preserving national security. Frank plans to submit these recommendations to the Commission in June. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175250/tomgram%3A_christopher_hellman%2C_is_the_pentagon_finally_overmatched/#more (the story follows a brief intro)

[geckosfeet]

1. Bad times? Bad economy? How about defense spending on two wars has

further depleted an economy devastated by homegrown stupid. We bleed from a thousand tiny cuts, and two severed arteries.

[msongs]

4. that's 3 wars - we are attacking pakistan now. plus other hidden wars nt

[geckosfeet]

5. Point. Taken.

[ensho]

2. No - the pentagon seems untouchable

nt

[tech9413]

3. Barney pretty much has it right but the problem is much deeper

It's not just waste but the military is marketed by defense industries to buy the latest, greatest and more expensive toys. Of course the top dogs want the best toys even if they have no use for them.

Look at how many retired line officers go to work as lobbyist's or consultants for defense contractors. They don't have any technical expertise to justify their position, it's just their access to people who control what the military buys.

Do we really need an F 35 when you can get ten F 18's for the same price? How about the Osprey? It provides a technical advantage but the maintenance cost is outrageous. Even the M 16 was a joke when introduced. High maintenance, propensity to jam and foul in dirty environments. It took years and millions more $ to provide what they promised.

Then you can get into the outsourcing of logistics. Do you really think a for-profit organization on a cost plus contract is going to be cheaper than grunts doing the same job? A grunt doesn't need a security force to protect them, they're already trained for the job.

It could take weeks to document all the FUBAR procurements for the military. I'll just say that we haven't gotten our monies worth on anything since the 50's.

[FlyByNight]

6. I have my doubts

Empires are expensive. Other "entitlements" will be recommended for cuts instead of the sacrosanct Pentagon budget.

[classysassy]

7. The decline of an empire

Over 700 military installation world wide is a drain on our economy we can not continue this madness.Congress should pass a law no retired general or admiral can lobby the military,if they do and get caught they lose their retirement.Trim the officer corp in all the branches of service,too many officers and their family members homesteading at resort military bases,Germany,Hawaii,Spain,Washington,DC,NATO HQ,trim the fat and I do mean the fat officers.Bring back the draft,two year in and you are out.Cut the civilian work force,use the troops to do the work the civil service loafers are not doing.When the draft is reinstated draft only single men and women.I served in the military for over 20 years after retirement I was a civil servant for another 20 years, I was able to observe up close and personal for over 40 years and there was a whole lot of goofing off going on.