Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has announced the Obama administration is proposing huge cuts in the United States national defense budget. The ‘Gates budget’ is outlined below as well as a video.
Defense Budget Cut
Not since the Jimmy Carter administration have we seen such a passive culture of appeasement in the White House. While the Obama administration has spent TRILLIONS of tax payer dollars to take control of private enterprise, they apparently see no need for the United States to be able to defend herself in these trouble times.
Of course, the President has made it clear during his trip to Europe that he doesn’t view the world as all that dangerous. He would like to show the world that we want peace by getting rid of all our nukes, cause you know that will mean Russia, North Korea, Iran and the rest will immediately breath a sigh of relief and get rid of their nukes. Right? You know the only reason they have nukes is to protect themselves against the United States that has been so reckless and aggressive - right?
Obama would much rather have the United States defended by the U.N. Yeah, we know how effective the U.N. has been over the years. How much sleep does anyone think the members of the U.N. will lose over the safety of U.S. citizens? Does the thought of America giving up power and laying herself at the feet of the world for her national interest give you warm fuzzy feelings? You think China and Russia will come to our aid when we are attacked by any other country?
Here are Bob Gates’ prepared remarks.
Stars and Stripes has a summary of the proposed defense budget cuts.
Abu Muqawama is live blogging Gates’ presser about the budget. No. Really. He is.
1412: A more successful North Korean missile launch would not have affected the budget at all, Gates says. In his words, we have Hawaii and Alaska covered already, so folks in the 49th and 50th can chill out.
The Foundry notes this course of action leaves us ill-prepared for the future and is a path towards relinquishing American primacy. I would note, that appears to have been Obama’s agenda from the get-go.
This news isn’t going over very well in Israel. In fact, its heightened Israeli fears. There are comments about the $900 million U.S. taxpayer dollars budgeted for Gaza while we can’t seem to pay for our own, much less Israel’s defense. They note that Russia and Iran are loving every minute of this and that U.S. Jews have not been of any help to Israel.
Right Pundits notes that its pointless to study history if we can’t learn the lessons it has to teach us.
In other news:
Crowds cheered President Bush as he threw out the first pitch at today’s Texas Rangers game. In fact, the crowd loved them some President Bush. You can check out the video at either site.
Apparently, some in Europe are wondering WHEN the new American President will go back home. Of course, some of us are just as happy he’s over there. But whatever, I guess he’s our problem, not theirs - so come on home, Barry, you are wearing out your welcome.
Even as the Defense budget is getting cut, the bailouts are getting more funding.
John Bolton has a response to the Obama administration’s response to North Korea. Am I the only one that would love to see John Bolton run for President?
And another thing …. check out what the Obama administration has in mind in terms of internet snooping. Where is the left wing when they need to be hollering and carrying on about civil rights and the government’s infringement on personal privacy rights, etc? Hmmmmm …. silence.
Ted Nugent, on the other hand, is never ever silent. WE are loving us some Nuge.
I wonder if the fact that Obama is apologizing for all things American and sucking up to the muslim world is in any way related to his declaration that the United States will disarm?
Apparently, the new President of the United States thinks the world is a safe enough place that we don’t need to worry about security issues too much. But then again, he’s also a president who doesn’t seem to have a problem criticizing his own country while overseas (or at all). Does he realize he’s president now and not still campaigning for the job? We really need a leader and not a president who thinks its okay to slam the United States to other countries. The world is laughing at him.
The video of the Gates budget presentation is below.
Obama Defense Budget Cuts - Video
April 6th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
fabulous roundup!..thanks for including me.:)
April 7th, 2009 at 12:08 am
Cant find another way to contact you. When ya click on the add blog link it takes you to right pundits blog site that has nothing to do with this site.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:57 am
“they apparently see no need for the United States to be able to defend herself in these trouble times.”
–What typical, conservative half-truth. No need to defend herself?! There is an absolutely prodigious gap between the caliber of America’s armed forces and that of the rest of the World. The budget cut does not dismantle the entire military to nonexistent status, as you would so callously lead people to believe; instead it curtails unnecessary spending like the production of the F-22, an air-superiority fighter of absolutely atrocious power that cannot be even damaged by any other fighter in existence, not even in simulation. This is not defense, its excess. Pure and simple. Even beyond excess, its a clear indication of rampant military-industrial complex.
“Crowds cheered President Bush as he threw out the first pitch at today’s Texas Rangers game. In fact, the crowd loved them some President Bush. You can check out the video at either site.”
–Fascinating, people in Texas, at a baseball game completely non affiliated in any way to politics, cheered for Bush. Call the bureau, the 22% approval rating must certainly be wrong!
“he’s also a president who doesn’t seem to have a problem criticizing his own country while overseas”
–So you would rather have him sit idly by and completely ignore the massive hole that we have dug for ourselves? You would have him deny that the American (and global) economic crash, spurned by our own people’s greed and immorality, had anything to do with us? Sounds like a great idea, a president that takes no responsibility and makes plenty of excuses.
“Russia, North Korea, Iran and the rest will immediately breath a sigh of relief and get rid of their nukes. Right? You know the only reason they have nukes is to protect themselves against the United States that has been so reckless and aggressive - right?”
–First off, you are completely and utterly unreasonable to think that nukes are going anywhere, ever. I have refrained from addressing the caliber of your character directly, but this is just plain and simple stupidity. Nukes aren’t going anywhere. You also seem to like to think that Obama wants to just get rid of our nukes, and hope everyone else does the same? Where are you getting this information from? You come off as completely insane.
“And another thing …. check out what the Obama administration has in mind in terms of internet snooping.”
–Bush passed the Patriot Act. This is more than enough argument to completely throw this away. Absolutely blind, ignorant, and misinformed.
And finally, I pose a question to you. What has the F-22 fighter done in the war in Iraq? What has the FWC done for the war in Iraq? What has all the R&D money pumped recklessly into the military done for the war in Iraq? The military is for whatever reason developing equipment and weapons to fight a nation on par with the United States in terms of military might. Where is this imaginary nation? The answer is that it doesn’t exist. No one else is even close, and won’t be for decades. Get out of the Cold War, stop trying to fight the nonexistent Soviet Union, and wake the hell up to realize that we have too many problems at home to be worried about the invisible super-power that so threatens our way of life.
April 11th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
2009 defense budget - $512B
2010 defense budget - $534B proposed
534 is MORE than 512. Also commonly known as an increase.
The shifts in spending are going mainly FROM large, expensive machines TO special forces, intel and more ground troops. Like one F22 vs. 150 ground troops. Which would be of more us in Iraq or Afghanistan?
The F22 is a badass plane, no doubt. It is also assembled in factories in 44 different states. Hmm. Wonder why? Looks to me like Gates has the balls to be honest about where the money should go to provide actual DEFENSE.