New Report Urges Pentagon Cuts for Deficit Reduction
New Report Urges Pentagon Cuts for Deficit Reduction
Cites Potential Savings of Nearly $1 Trillion Over Ten Years
Washington DC, June 11 — A new report identifies $960 billion in Pentagon budget savings that can be generated over the next ten years from realistic reductions in military spending. The report was produced by the Sustainable Defense Task Force, a group convened in response to a request from House Financial Services Committee Chair, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), to explore options for reducing the Pentagon budget’s contribution to the federal deficit without compromising the essential security of the United States.
“Leaders from the left, right and center agree on two major policy changes: the U.S. deficit must be reduced and the Pentagon budget can reverse its exponential growth while keeping Americans safe,” claimed Paul Kawika Martin, policy and political director of Peace Action (the nation’s largest grassroots peace organization) and a member of the task force.
The report comes at a time when the federal deficit is drawing increasing attention from policymakers in Washington. President Obama has appointed a National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to look at long-term budgetary trends; the administration’s new National Security Strategy has argued that we need to “grow our economy and reduce our deficit” if we are to ensure continued U.S. strength and influence abroad; Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has spoken of eliminating unnecessary weapons systems and reducing overhead costs at the Pentagon; and key Congressional leaders are speaking of a bottom-up review of military spending to look for potential cuts.
“At a time of growing concern over federal deficits, all elements of the budget must be subjected to careful scrutiny. The Pentagon should be no exception,” said Carl Conetta of the Project on Defense Alternatives, an author of the report.
In making the case for substantial reductions, the report notes that federal discretionary spending – the portion of the budget other than entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare – has nearly doubled since 2001. Over one-third of that increase is accounted for by the base Pentagon budget, which excludes the costs of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Major options for reductions in Pentagon spending cited in the report include the following:
• Over $113 billion in savings by reducing the U.S. nuclear arsenal to 1,050 total warheads deployed on 450 land-based missiles and seven Ohio-class submarines;
• Over $200 billion in savings by reducing U.S. routine military presence in Europe and Asia to 100,000 while reducing total uniformed military personnel to 1.3 million;
• Over $138 billion in savings by replacing costly and unworkable weapons systems with more practical, affordable alternatives. Suggested cuts would include the F-35 combat aircraft, the MV-22 Osprey, and the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.
• Over $60 billion in savings by reforming military health care; and
• Over $100 billion in savings by cutting unnecessary command, support and infrastructure funding.
The report also includes a set of possible reductions based on a strategy of restraint that would emphasize the ability to bring force from the sea to defeat and deter enemies rather than putting large numbers of troops ashore in extended operations. The savings from this approach would total $1.1 trillion.
The full report may be read at:
http://www.peace-action.org/awayforward/
Members of The Sustainable Defense Task Force:
Carl Conetta, Project on Defense Alternatives
Benjamin Friedman, Cato Institute
William D. Hartung, New America Foundation
Christopher Hellman, National Priorities Project
Heather Hurlburt, National Security Network
Charles Knight, Project on Defense Alternatives
Lawrence J. Korb, Center for American Progress
Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action
Laicie Olson, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Miriam Pemberton, Institute for Policy Studies
Laura Peterson, Taxpayers for Common Sense
Prasannan Parthasarathi, Boston College
Christopher Preble, Cato Institute
Winslow Wheeler, Center for Defense Information.
-
[…] Of course, the Big Cahuna in global military spending is the US, which spends about as much as the rest of the world’s countries combined. In December, a deficit reduction commission will report to the president and Congress its recommendations for spending cuts. We’ll need to stay tuned and get active to ensure the bulk of the spending cuts come from our outrageously bloated military budget, rather than from human needs programs and Social Security. More on this soon, as Peace Action and our allies are building an education and action campaign around the commission’s report, which follows on our participation in U.S. Rep. Barney Frank’s Sustainable Defense Task Force.. […]
[…] Read More […]
Leave a Comment
PLEASE,PLEASE….PEACE
The focus is now on laser weapon technology, which can be used to detonate a nuclear weapon before it lifts off, via satellite. Those countries desiring more nuclear energy and weapons are too focused on old technology that destroys the planet, its protective spheres, and all life, which is why many Christians and Muslims are against nuclear war, as well as the environmentalists.
It’s time we realize that excessive military spending makes us less secure, not more secure. As President Eisenhower said, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.” The billions spent on the Pentagon are also a theft from our ability to provide a decent education for all our children, to provide affordable health care for all our citizens, to protect our environment from further destruction, to preserve our national parks for future generations, to rebuild our infrastructure, to do the research and investment to make us a leader in new forms of energy. The list goes on and on of programs that serve our citizens that are bring cut while the Pentagon remains a “sacred cow.” Those who process that military spending makes us strong are missing the fact that while we continue to invest in being the world’s policeman, everyone else is investing in their economies and citizens.
I am a 72 year old veteran, What can I do to help bring about peace?
Dave Parasons
Vote democratic.
As the admin of this web page is working, no doubt very rapidly it will be well-known, due
to its feature contents.
With an automated system, sales team can come up with attention getting websites, commercials, slogans and even vehicles to help cement their brand.
This design is wicked! You most certainly know how to
keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I
was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost.
..HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really enjoyed what you had to
say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my apple
ipad and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can
be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and
she has 83 views. I know this is totally off topic but I had to share
it with someone!
Admiring the hard work you put into your website and ddetailed information you offer.
It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while
that isn’t the same oldd rehashed information. Wonderful read!
I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my
Google account.
I just lіke the vauable info yyou provide fоr youг
articles. І’ll bookmark уouг weblog and take a lοok аt оnce mогe rіght here regularly.
I’m reasonably ceгtain I will be informed lots οf neω
stuff proper гight hеrе! Best of luck for the next!
Its not my first time to go to see this web site, i am visiting this website dailly aand
get nice information from here daily.
Hey There. I found youur weblog the use of msn. That is a
very well written article. I’ll mae sure to bookmark it and come back tto learn more of your useful info.
Thanks foor the post. I will definitely comeback.