New National Defense Strategy

[Borey the Bald]

On January 5, 2012, President Obama announced a new national defense strategy designed to cut over $450 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years, while maintaining military pre-eminence. Here is my summary of what this new strategy involves:


Re-balance our force structure toward the Asia-Pacific area and the Middle East.


Not retain ground forces for a large and prolonged stability operation (like Iraq and Afghanistan). Retain the ability to reconstruct those forces if necessary.


Maintain forces sufficient to be capable of prevailing in more than one conflict at the same time.


Maintain or increase capabilities for Special Forces and cyber and science and technology.


Defense.gov News Article: Obama: Defense Strategy Will Maintain U.S. Military Pre-eminence


On Sunday, January 8, Secretary of Defense Panetta and Chairman, JCS Gen Dempsey were interview on CBS. The following is my summary of what they said:


On this new national defense strategy, their main message was that the US is and will remain the strongest power in the world. They will be prepared to fight 2 or more wars simultaneously.


On Iran, they believe that diplomatic activity and sanctions are working, but won't take any possible options off the table. We are preparing (militarily) to stop Iranian nuclear activity. They are capable of blocking the Strait of Hormuz, but we will reopen it.


Face the Nation, 01.08.12 - CBS News Video


As was to be expected, the Democrats think this reduction in military spending is great, and the Republican candidates think it is the worst thing that could happen. It appears, to me, to be a refocusing of our military and acknowledgment that we should not be involved in long protracted security operations (policing).

[Minnie Maugham]

The US must have operations in strategic areas worldwide. I agree that there is bloated defense spending, but reducing forces in key areas, cutting spending on new tech and ignoring China/Iran/Russia buildups is not the way to go. Once again, obama shows he knows nuthink about anything.

[Borey the Bald]

According to Panetta: "As difficult as it may be to achieve the mandated defense savings, this has given all of us in the Department of Defense the opportunity to reshape our defense strategy and force structure to more effectively meet the challenges of the future -- to deter aggression, to shape the security environment and to decisively prevail in any conflict."

The Defense Department is supposed to release details of their new budget in about 3 weeks. Until then, it may be premature to be negative about the new strategy. I, personally, am optimistic about it. The military is made up of many excellent, competent men. If it is possible, I believe they will come up with the necessary cuts while keeping the country safe.

[Minnie Maugham]

^ I hope you're right...

[Humbert]

Even with these cuts the US will be spending 10 times more than the next ten countries spend on their militaries combined. What have all these wars bought us? Are we any safer? Actually we have have become more hated and more likely to suffer terrorist attacks because of our imperialist foriegn policy.

[sabang]

There is plenty of fat able to be trimmed off the bloated Pentagon budget, it is both obvious and necessary. The main threats faced are assymetric really, they do not require large regional standing Armies unless you persist in this folly of invading other countries. So having one kick ass Military force which alone dwarves any other nations military, and targeting the rest towards rapid reaction task forces and assymetric localised threats makes a lot of sense to me. The USA will remain the gorilla on the block for longer than my mortal shuffle- the cuts being instigated are hardly radical, and frankly well overdue.

[jamescollister]

Seems a reasonable plan, there is no USSR threatening world domination. The middle east maybe a pain, but hordes of Muslims will not be crossing the med to invade Europe. The west needs to have a realistic threat, that's how the system works. China has to be it and the US s main focus is the Asian Pacific. Possibly the African sub continent will be next, as China's state sponsored capitalism control grows. Realistically China is not a military threat, it's just buying the countries instead of invading. Beating us at our own capitalist game. Back to the good old day's of British battleship diplomacy, we may not be able to tell you what to do, but we can blow the crap out of you anytime we want. Jim

[Borey the Bald]

The US Army is apparently preparing to pull 2 combat brigades out of Europe:

Defense.gov News Article: Army to Replace 2 Brigades in Europe With Rotating Units

[Minnie Maugham]

^ Wunderbar. Next, they'll pull the mechanics, the parts, the canteens, the PXs, and logistics. Same, same Jimmy Carter era. Stupid. Should be peace thru strength.

[barbaro]

On January 5, 2012, President Obama announced a new national defense strategy designed to cut over $450 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years...

If you look at the total numbers, this is a very small reduction. "Defense" spending is over $700 billion per year to the Pentagon (not including the MIC companies that produce the weapons).

This cut....is small.

The potus must accommodate and bow to the MIC. They are that powerful.

[Borey the Bald]

Chairman JCS General Dempsey, in a speech January 12 at Duke University, discussed this new strategy. IMO we are lucky, in the US, to have such intelligent, level-headed senior officers in charge.


Military Strategy in the 21st Century - C-SPAN Video Library




A few highlights:



“We are only as strong as those 3 pillars – diplomatic, military and economic.....If one of those pillars is weakened, they are all weakened.....


“It makes no sense for us as a nation to have an extraordinarily strong military instrument of power if we are economically disadvantaged around the world.”


“We are not being victimized by the budget.....We all have a role to play, as citizens, in helping the nation address the budget crisis.”


He looks at this as “quite healthy for us” and an “enormous opportunity”.

[barbaro]

^ Good quote Borey.

Yes, these guy is smart - and he's unique - since he's in the govt and military.