Changes coming to the Pentagon
Posted: January 5, 2012 Filed under: Team Obama 9 CommentsObama had a presser today announcing a pared down role and size for the US Military. Panetta followed with some details. The budget implications will be announced in a few weeks. I’m 
sure this will be discussed a lot in the coming weeks. Here’s some information and links on what’s out so far.
WAPO: Obama announces new, leaner military approach
The Obama administration on Thursday unveiled a new military strategy that shifts the Pentagon’s focus towards Asia and says the country’s dire budget problems necessitate a more restrained use of military force and more modest foreign policy goals.
The strategy will almost certainly mean a smaller Army and Marine Corps as well as new investments in long-range stealth bombers and anti-missile systems that are designed primarily to counter China’s military buildup. It explicitly states that America can make due with a smaller nuclear force.
“Our nation is in a moment of transition,” President Obama wrote in an introduction to the document outlining the new strategy. “As we end today’s wars, we will focus on a broader range of challenges and opportunities, including the security and prosperity of the Asia Pacific.”
A major thrust of the new approach is its insistence on more modest goals for the military, which has spent years fighting difficult wars in Iraq and Afghanistan aimed at ousting brutal, anti-U.S. rulers and rebuilding fractured societies .
The strategy explicitly rejects the notion that the U.S. military should be structured to fight such wars on a regular basis. In many ways, the new approach can be seen as a rejection of the Bush administration’s ambitious foreign policy goals of the last decade.
BBC: Obama unveils new strategy for ‘leaner’ US military
Mr Obama said during a speech in Australia in November that the Asia Pacific was now a top priority for the US, in what was seen as a challenge to the rising regional power of China.
Joined by Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, President Obama stressed that the defence budget would still grow, but at a slower pace.
He said the US was “turning the page on a decade of war” and faced a “moment of transition”.
“Even as our troops continue to fight in Afghanistan, the tide of war is receding,” he said.
Oddly enough, this strategy sounds awfully familiar to the Rumsfeld Doctrine of blow them up and forgot about the aftermath. But, that’s just my first gut take on the announcement.
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I think this statement should read:
““Our nation is in a moment of transition,” President Obama wrote in an introduction to the document outlining the new strategy. “As we end today’s wars, we will focus on a broader range of challenges and opportunities, including the security and prosperity of the United States of America and North America, as well as the Caribbean.”
Honestly, I am happy about spending less on the military and hopefully the wars are ending but we are not going in the right direction. Our science research is waning due to lack of funds, our medical research is waning, we no longer have a space program, our infrastructure is crumbling and our military is being scaled back due to a lack of funds. This is worrisome. Especially since we seem to be determined to have a presence in every part of the globe.
One reason the government isn’t spending on other research is the Pentagon sucks every dollar out for it’s own weapons research and boondoggle projects. I’m glad to see the Pentagon budget cut since I don’t think we should have to keep Boeing, Grumman, etc all in business with pork,
Border agency seeks more unmanned aircraft use in Calif.
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/border-agency-seeks-more-unmanned-aircraft-use-calif-14326
What? The blimps aren’t good enough?
This trip to the Southwest I’ve seen blimps, drones and hundreds of ICE cars, vans, buses.
Thing is that the ICE jackasses will get bored and turn the cameras on US citizens — or they probably already have.
With all that money — and demands for new toys — the assholes will be able to deport more US citizens.
Perhaps if we the people could deport a bunch of politicians.
northwestrain said:
>>>Perhaps if we the people could deport a bunch of politicians.<<<<
Hahaha!
Maybe they could be rounded up under the 'indefinite detention' clause in the Defense Bill, labeled 'domestic terrorists' and disappear into perpetuity. It's incredible what damage these pols are doing, all in the name of security, getting the populace to sign on and acquiesce through fear tactics.
I understand there's still money in the kitty for a new aircraft carrier–to add to the Pacific fleet. Gotta keep an eye on China and Korea. Is there any part of the world we're not sticking our noses in? Meanwhile our infrastructure crumbles, our schools are a disaster and we have record numbers of people falling into poverty. I read the other night that certain medicines, cancer-fighting meds, for instance, are running out. As Big Pharma pumps out 11 different kinds of meds for erectile dysfunction, we can't serve those fighting cancer, fighting for their very lives.
The bubble is going to burst at some point.
Huge military, domestic poverty, wars around the world … Empire!
But I think they are getting ready to up the military presence in Asia Pacific: BBC News – Obama unveils new strategy for ‘leaner’ US military
The US-Australia training pact for one expeditionary force at a time to train with the Aussies is not a huge deal. While we’re doing that, we could reduce our presence on Oklnawa.