Defense cuts are risky business

I have no doubt there is significant opportunity to wring savings from the Defense Department as there is from virtually all government departments. For example, health costs for retired career military are out of control and their premiums have not been raised in over fifteen years … those folks are no different from any other retiree. It is also true there must be a balance in cost management between the three largest expenditures, Medicare, Defense and Social Security.

Having said all that, in the world we live in today do cuts that make it impossible to fight two ground wars simultaneously make sense, does cutting back on development for new weapon systems make sense?  Don’t get me wrong I am not for war or starting a new war, but in the face of a military build up by China, North Korea‘s ongoing threat, ongoing instability in the Middle East, and spreading terrorism especially in Africa, announcing to the world that we are reducing our capability is risky business at best.

In an ideal world, perhaps the world of progressives, a defense force would only be needed to help with natural disasters but that is not our world and never has been. America is in decline as the worlds economic power and even our once dominate influence is diminished, there is no need to send signals that we will become ripe for picking. By all means, seek out waste and duplication, close domestic bases and facilities that are not needed, strengthen the procurement process to get more for our money.

However, cutting our military to avoid changes to Social Security and Medicare is a bad deal and potentially a long-term debacle. If we don’t have the best security possible, that monthly check won’t mean much.