Pentagon Sticks With Failed Military Strategy
Pentagon Sticks With Failed Military Strategy
The Department of Defense released their 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) today. Their report demonstrates a missed opportunity to make fundamental changes in their failed U.S. defense strategy. Two of their most egregious errors:
1. The Pentagon ignores the fact that the all-volunteer Army is at its breaking point. The evidence is in a recent report that the Pentagon itself commissioned titled “The Thin Green Line.†Instead of increasing troops or funding for personnel to meet new challenges, however, the Pentagon only adds more responsibilities to an already strained military.
2. The Pentagon fails to make any major cuts to its weapons systems. Most analysts thought weapons cuts were inevitable but the Penatgon actually increased funds for weapons systems by 8%. This means that taxpayer dollars will continue to be poured into inefficient programs at the expense of other important security priorities, such as personnel and homeland defense.
The Center for American Progress has its own Quadrennial Defense Review, entitled Restoring American Military Power. The Center’s review outlines a strategy that gives top priority to our men and women in uniform, the protection of the homeland and the prevention of conflicts. Understanding that we live in a budget-constrained environment, it makes the hard choices about where valuable U.S. resources and funding should be directed in order to reap the largest security gains.
– Caroline Wadhams
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Rumsfeld isn’t changing a thing. He doesn’t know any other way then what he’s been doing. He keeps doing the same thing over and over and expects a different outcome. He’s a lunatic.
February 3rd, 2006 at 6:30 pmDo they still think they can defeat the terrists with tanks and missiles?
February 3rd, 2006 at 6:32 pmRumsfeld actually has taken leave of his senses. With the debacle in Iraq that has already stretched ground troops to the limit,he first threatens Iran (Sadr has said that Iraqi Shiites will attack the Americans if they take hostile action against Iran)but then waves his saber at Hugo Chavez, comparing him to Hitler. If Rumsfeld wants to compare someone to Hitler, he need look no farther than the White House.
February 3rd, 2006 at 6:39 pmI swear Bush and Rumsfeld have to be agents of a foreign power, because their actions have done more harm to this nation’s credibility and honor than all previous Presidents combined. Tell me again about that “Dream Team” cabinet Bush selected for his first term.
February 3rd, 2006 at 7:26 pmQUALAR,
February 3rd, 2006 at 7:48 pmThey’re not enemy agents, just incompedent.
Our military is run by moronic Generals who should be court martialed for their ineptitude!
February 3rd, 2006 at 8:47 pmThe “Big Green Dick” is flaccid.
February 3rd, 2006 at 9:24 pm#1,
Yes, thats the definition of crazy, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.
February 3rd, 2006 at 9:28 pmWhat in the hell do we need nuclear submarines and 2000+ figher jets for? Give me ONE reason to need a new sub. ONE.
February 3rd, 2006 at 9:30 pm#9,
February 3rd, 2006 at 11:25 pmThey’re retiring the functioning ones.
I just can’t believe what has happened to your country since Bush took office. I am not an American, but we in my country used to regard you as friends. Not so any nore. Now we fear you – your Presidents words and actions put we (who are older, and remember such things), in mind of Germany in the early thirties. It seems to me that a small cabal of neo-conservatives have taken over your government.
February 3rd, 2006 at 11:52 pmPlease, for God,s sake, tell me HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN????
Bess it has happened because most Americans are too dumb to remember how Hitler gained control of Germany! Most Americans do NOT know that Bush’s grandfather Prescott was a pal of Hitler, so we are screwed! What country do you live in Bess? I want to move to Switzerland > at least they were neutral in WWI and WWII and should be again for Bush’s WWIII > I can hope anyways!
February 4th, 2006 at 12:48 amBess -
Jay’s right… it’s the dumbass voters’ AND THE SUPER DUPER DUMBASS, APATHETIC NONVOTERS’ collective fault.
Stupid, stupid nonvoters.
There’s no excuse to *not* vote in a Presidential election… it’s once every fucking 4 years – plan ahead and get absentee ballots if you have to, you jackasses.
February 4th, 2006 at 1:16 amWhere the hell have all your brave disenters gone?
February 4th, 2006 at 2:57 amI live ib Canada. We have always regarded you as our friendy cousins to the South. Now I don’t know what to think. We really do love your people, but we sure hate your present government.
February 4th, 2006 at 3:36 amWhere the heck have you all gone? I realize that you don’t like to be criticized by other countries, but I am speaking for myself. I truly do wish relations were better between our two countries, but as long as Bush is in power, it doesn’t seem possible. Plase believe me when I say that the majority of Canadians love their American neighboughrs but abhor their government.
February 4th, 2006 at 4:35 amBess I have been to Canada a few times > I love Victoria, since I lived in Port Angeles, Washington, for awhile years ago!
Our nation has gone into madness Bess, but your Canada just elected a far-right PM recently, so he might become your insane nut like our Emperor Bush?
February 4th, 2006 at 5:01 amOh where have all you bloggers gone?
February 4th, 2006 at 5:51 amThank you for your reply. The new Conservative Government here was elected by a very slim minoruty. If we don’t like what they’re doing, we can vote them out right quick.
February 4th, 2006 at 6:04 amWe, as a whole, do not like the Conservatives, and will be looking to vote them out of power very soon.
Bess Bush won by a margin of 51% Bush – Kerry 49% that is also a slim majority but the bush crowd take any win “legal or not” as a mandate.
February 4th, 2006 at 8:17 amIf any folks out there happened to be listening to C-span Sat AM there was a short snippet that said quite alot regarding the stretched out condition of our military. The guest was asked to comment on the number of mercenaries in Iraq and he claimed that rumsfeld was clearly inferring that it was in the plans to INCREASE the merc numbers in the coming years because the military just wasn’t getting the needed forces to volunteer.
February 4th, 2006 at 8:43 amNow please, since we are all history majors, we all remember the examples of the historical use of mercs throughout history? These liars want us to believe that they can dominate the world through the use of a military that is grossly underpaid; is forced to leave their families for extended periods of time and is falsly promised that they will be taken care of while they are away defending this “great” country; is promised to be protected while in combat with the greatest technology on earth; — and at the same time that they are placing themselves at great risk, they are well aware that right next to them are individuals that are recieving renumeration at a rate that is in the range of 10 to 100% above their salaries.
And now we are being told about the “Long War” by this admin. What the hell does that mean? Are we now being prepared for endless war?
billjpa@aol.com
A new terrorist attack and the draft makes a comeback.
February 4th, 2006 at 9:10 amJust as Carlyle dictates….
February 4th, 2006 at 10:09 amPost 21 bill > “Endless War” > yep you figured it out! Our Big Brother Bush wants war forever now > who was the last nut who believed in never ending war? Adolf Hitler!
February 4th, 2006 at 12:22 pm