I was very disturbed at President Obama’s announcement of his proposed adjustment to the national defense budget. I was even more disturbed by the response of Congressman Norm Dicks, as ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee (TNT, 1-5).
Dicks’ response was directed only to the pacification of his Washington supporters, by assuring them that the president’s adjustment to the budget would have a minimal, if any, effect on any of the defense contracts and other activities being conducted in the state.
As a retired military officer, it has been my understanding for many years that the House Armed Services Committee was a primary source of advice to the president to assure that the posture of the defense agencies was consistent with the obligations incurred by the foreign relations objectives of the United States.
If the House Armed Services Committee is not going to critique the president’s proposal for diminishing the defense capability of the United States, where else will this responsibility be carried out? I anticipate that the opinions of many senior military officers and state department officials will focus on the inadequacy of the president’s Pentagon budget proposal.