In a speech at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Secretary Gates said he was looking for at lease $10 billion in annual savings by paring of the military bureaucracy according to a report out of the Associated Press. Gates said he had come to the conclusion about the urgent need for big cuts in light of the recession.
If the readers of Gates comment are confused, they have reason to be. Mr. Gates has been Secretary of Defense for almost 4 years and has presided over increased defense spending ever since. He supported the big expenditures for the continued war in Iraq and his actions has contributed to the doubling of Defense spending since Bush took office. Defense spending is now over $600 billion a year and was over $300 billion a year when Bush took office. There has been no cold war opponent for some time and no other super power but the war machine drives the debate. What an unnecessary price to pay to fight terrorism.
President Eisenhower was right about the military industrial complex that is the driving force behind this massive expenditure. If Mr. Gates was sincere he would show those people the door. To those that pay attention, the U.S. can secure its safety at a far less cost. The problem is Mr. Gates failure to bite the bullet.
It is also telling that Mr. Gates said one reason for wanting to cut $10 billion is the recession. The recession has actually come to an end. If Mr. Gates was sincere, he would have been cutting spending while the recession was in full swing. Where is the leadership?
