NEWS FLASH

Hagel Responds To Panetta’s Military Cuts Fearmongering: ‘The Pentagon Needs To Be Pared Down’ | Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said repeatedly in recent weeks — without offering any evidence — that the $600 billion cuts in national security spending that would result if the debt ceiling deal’s so-called trigger mechanism takes effect would be “dangerous” and “devastating” to the United States. The Financial Times asked former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel to respond to Panetta’s claims. “The Defense Department, I think in many ways has been bloated,” Hagel said, “So I think the Pentagon needs to be pared down. I don’t think that our military has really looked at themselves strategically, critically, in a long, long time.” Watch the interview here.