Gates, Obama, and Washington Post Reporting

God help this once great Republic!

[The headline reads:] "Pentagon to cut spending by $78 billion, reduce troop strength."

FINE AND DANDY. I APPROVE! HOWEVER... HOWEVER...

(*PAUSE*)

IF WE'RE GOING TO CUT MILITARY SPENDING, THEN WE'VE GOT TO CUT MILITARY COMMITMENTS - NO? IN OTHER WORDS, HERE'S THE RUB: IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THE MILITARY LESS, THAN BY GOD WE'D BETTER SURE AS HECK DOWNSIZE THE RESPONSIBILITIES IT SHOULDERS. RIGHT...? LOGICAL...???

The Pentagon will have to cut spending by $78 billion over the next five years...

MEANING $15.6 BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR... RIGHT? CUT FROM WHAT THOUGH?! CUT FROM THE BASE OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OR LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, OR "CUT" FROM THE "INFLATION ADJUSTED" AUTOMATIC INCREASES...???

FOLKS... ARE YOU FOLLOWING? I'M JUST LOOKING FOR STRAIGHT ANSWERS HERE. (I KNOW... I KNOW... "GOOD LUCK, BILL!")

The surprise announcement from Gates was a reminder for the military establishment - which has benefited from a gusher of new money over the past decade - that it will not remain exempt from painful austerity measures that federal lawmakers say will be necessary to control the soaring national debt.

FAIR ENOUGH... BUT I REITERATE: IS THE "MISSION" GOING TO SHRINK ALONG WITH THE RESOURCES? ARE COMMITMENTS GOING TO BE CUT? IF NOT... THEN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS RANK IRRESPONSIBILITY. (AS IF ANYONE WOULD BE SURPRISED...)

"We must come to realize that not every defense program is necessary, not every defense dollar is sacred or well-spent, and more of everything is simply not sustainable," Gates said.

GREAT. SO WHAT COMMITMENTS ARE ON THE CUTTING BLOCK? WHICH DEFENSE TREATIES WILL WE BE ABROGATING?

In response to questions, he emphasized that the $78 billion reduction over the next five years actually represents a "decline in the rate of growth," since the Pentagon budget will grow "in absolute dollars" every year.

(*SMIRK*)

GUESS THAT ANSWERS ONE OF MY QUESTION, HUH?! (DISINGENUOUS PINHEAD...)

Gates also stressed that even after the reductions in troop strength, the Army and Marine Corps both will still be larger than they were when he became defense secretary four years ago. The Army will be bigger by about 40,000 soldiers, and the Marines will still have 7,000 to 12,000 more troops, he said.

FOLKS... (*SIGH*)... SHOULDN'T WE BE LOOKING AT WHAT OUR MILITARY NEEDS ARE FIRST - WHAT WE NEED TO BACK UP OUR COMMITMENTS - AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT WILL COST? THEN.... IF THE COSTS ARE UNAFFORDABLE... WOULDN'T THE LOGICAL NEXT STEP BE TO CUT BACK OUR COMMITMENTS...? HMM...??? (BUT NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS... JUST ME...) (*SIGH*)

Gates predicted that the decisions would come under fire from critics who charge that "we either are gutting defense or we are not cutting nearly enough."

OR... GATES MIGHT CONSIDER WHAT I'M SAYING HERE..!!! (FRIGG'N PHONY...)

Gates had hoped to spare the Pentagon from the budget ax.

WHY?! (EITHER THERE ARE SACRED COWS ARE THERE AREN'T; I VOTE FOR "AREN'T.")

The Pentagon will see a short-term boost in its budget next year to about $554 billion, excluding the cost of fighting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

(*SNORT*)

WELL OF COURSE... I MEAN, AFTER ALL... WHAT'S ACTUAL FIGHTING HAVE TO DO WITH A PENTAGON BUDGET...

(*JUST SHAKING MY HEAD*)

After that, however, annual spending increases will dwindle until they flatten completely in 2015 and 2016, with no extra money beyond the rate of inflation.

SO FIRST OF ALL THERE ARE NO REAL "CUTS" COMING AS YOU AND I UNDERSTAND THE WORD "CUT." SECOND OF ALL... (*SIGH*)... GATES' "FAKE" CUTS AREN'T COMING TILL 2015 AND 2016 - WHEN WE'LL HAVE NOT ONLY A NEW CONGRESS BUT POTENTIALLY A NEW PRESIDENT.

FOLKS... THESE PEOPLE ARE SO FULL OF SHIT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN!