We agree with the Tribune that a thorough review of America’s national security posture is in order–in fact, it is overdue (“Wise caution on defense spending,” Editorial, Feb. 2).
A consensus has emerged among objective observers that a worrisome gap now exists between the tasks assigned our armed forces and the resources they have been given to carry them out.
This is not just the “wish lists” of generals and admirals; warning flags have been raised by the scrupulously non-partisan Congressional Budget Office and by many independent experts, not all of whom traditionally champion increased defense spending.
Fifteen years of declining defense budgets–now apparently to be further extended by the Bush administration–have led to lowered morale and problems retaining our best people in uniform.
Equipment now is being cannibalized to keep the rest running.
No study is needed to fix current readiness problems.
You mention that our defense budget is larger than that of the six biggest international spenders combined but fail to point out that America’s military, unique among the world’s armed forces, is assigned a global mission and is required to respond across the full spectrum of capabilities–from peacekeeping to nuclear deterrence.
Economies can still be found within the Department of Defense: further base closings and streamlining of the defense bureaucracy come to mind.
But these savings are small compared to the urgent requirements of our forces.
Unless the Bush defense review results in a decision to reduce America to a regional power, hard decisions on national defense should be made soon.
Failure to give our men and women the support they need to prevail quickly and with minimum loss can lead to attrition scenarios–with profound implications for a casualty-averse nation.
