Obama announces new, leaner military approach

[baked_goldfish]

The U.S. military will steadily shrink the Army and Marine Corps, reduce forces in Europe and probably make further cuts to the nation’s nuclear arsenal, the Obama administration said Thursday in a preview of how it intends to reshape the armed forces after a decade of war.

Comments

[atomic_joe2]

Historically making military cuts is a dangerous business, it usually happens right before a conflict comes along. I'm thinking the cuts that were made to the British military just before the Falklands War (you don't see that in the fawning Iron Lady movie I bet) as a recent example.

[mephisto5]

Actually, the defence cuts and their effect on the military's ability to defend the Falklands was included in the film. The main issue with regards to accuracy in the film's handling of the Falklands war was that it showed Thatcher having a much greater role in making the decisions, when she was far more dependant upon advisors.

[cpip]

The US Army's favorite one, I believe, remains Task Force Smith, and the Korean War in general. The nightmare of the first year of the Korean War, I think, still haunts a certain portion of the military, and is the more justifiable reason for the military-industrial complex.

[sarahbeez]

this can't be possible! we are told all the time that obama is the most war happy bombing fun time president EVER

European allies, many confronting even more austere times than the United States, have been bracing for a reduction in the 80,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Europe.
it's funny that opponents of the president like ron paul present these personnel and bases in europe as U.S. imperalism but it's not like the governments of these countries want us to go, because we enable them to spend less on their military. but even though it's the defense budget paying my rent right now, i agree that a lot of the bases and personnel in europe are ultimately unnecessary cold war relics and should be reduced greatly.

[carmy_w]

Yep, we protect their interests, our people there spend money and help move their economy along, and yet that's imperialism.

[tabaqui]

The military does need a big, whacking reduction. I don't agree that it should be in pay and medical (including mental health care) benefits. My SO was in the Army for four years - the pay was not great, and a lot of military families use WIC and food stamps.

I'd much rather cut/close many of the European bases and those in Asia, and reduce our arsenal of weapons that we should never use again, like mines and nuclear missiles.

(Cue the 'omg, he's weakening America, the terrorists will flood over the border, we're all doooooooomed!!!' right-wing opposition.)

[anjak_j]

Agree with all of this.

I find the idea of trying to make the cuts in the pay and benefits of those who work for a living in the military reprehensible - especially given what you've said about WIC and food stamps. The lower ranks work damned hard in dangerous conditions for a pittance already without that being reduced and benefits cut.

The arsenal of landmines and cluster bombs should be reduced to zero in my opinion, and doing so would save a fortune in future, given in costs something like $3 to make a single mine and at least $300 - and over $1000 in some cases - to remove it later, providing it hasn't killed or maimed someone already before removal of the field it is in is considered.

[tabaqui]

This. There are people - and a huge percentage of them are children - who are daily 'finding' mines with their feet. It's disgusting and the simple fact that we still use them is unconscionable.

[captain_emily]

This is what I'm worried about, too. I'm all for cutting the defense budget, but I have a feeling that it'll be the soldiers--the low guys on the totem pole--that have to suffer the most. My brother is an Iraq war vet, and he's already being screwed over left and right by military bureaucracy. I just hate to think about what's going to happen next.

[carmy_w]

An extremely progressive person on my FB page posted an "OBAMA=WARMONGER, and that's why I'm not voting for him!!!!" post a couple of days ago.

All I could think, once I cooled down from my brain being on fire, was "We must all hang together, or we will surely hang separately."

But they're standing up for their principles, don't you know!!

Hope they enjoy those principles when the Repubs get back in power because they & their buddies decided to write in Frank and someone for P & VP.

I'm truly afraid of this happening, just like in 2010-some of them will write in their dream candidates, but more of them will stay home and not vote at all. I hope not, and thank heavens there are still over 10 months till elections, but still....

[tabaqui]

I'm completely freaked about people not voting, too. Makes me nuts.

Obama=war monger? Which war did he start, again....?

[carmy_w]

Yeah, I didn't even read the article, for that very reason. Everyone commenting was so gung-ho on doing a third party write-in campaign for progressives I just said "screw it."

For what it's worth, he also had several people on his F-list who were arguing against the idea, so he's at least got some friends who will vote, and will argue the point. I just couldn't that day, especially with an article like that as their basis.

[tabaqui]

Yeah. Sometimes it's just too much effort to get through skulls six inches thick.

[nekomika]

My only concern with this is where are the soilders who are now no longer required going to go?

I'm an Air Force Brat and neither of my parents, when they switched from the uniform to civies, were able to transpose their job skills into the civilian world. My dad had to get a second college degree and my mom just gave up after a couple of years. The VA was almost useless [and my mother is a vet] in getting her placement or any sort of resume help.

I know it's a lot to ask of a goverment that barely takes care of its active duty troops as is but I hope they give them some post mili job help. :c

[baked_goldfish]

One other thing the administration and Congress has been doing is making a big push about hiring veterans. Obama just recently signed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act into law. It's basically tax credits for firms that hire vets, and bigger credits if that vet has been unemployed for over 6 months.