Lt. General Gard and Laicie Olson’s op-ed “Pentagon Should Be Preparing for Sequestration Ax” was originally published in Roll Call on February 29, 2012. The Pentagon’s new strategic guidance and corresponding budget request have effectively shifted the focus away from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan toward the threats of the future. Current Defense Department proposals, however, do […]
Reason over Relics: Restructuring our Nuclear Force
Lt. General Gard’s op-ed “Reason over Relics: Restructuring our Nuclear Force” was originally published in The Hill’s Congress Blog on February 22, 2012. In To End All Wars, his excellent history of World War I, author Adam Hochschild recounts how passionately some strategists defended the perceived essential role of the horse cavalry. In an era that war was […]
BRAC: The Next Steps for the Administration and Congress
By Phil Coyle Defense Secretary Leon Panetta surprised many Pentagon observers when he announced on January 26, 2012, that he would pursue possibly two base realignment and closure rounds, one in 2013 and another in 2015, as part of his long-range strategy to further bring down DoD costs. Familiarly known as BRAC, the Pentagon last […]
Pentagon Budget: Forced To Diet On Only $614 Billion
By Laicie Heeley Those seeking further details on changes in the Pentagon budget received some satisfaction today in a briefing delivered by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. Secretary Panetta revealed that the budget, expected to be released in full detail on February 13, will contain […]
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Applauds Pentagon Strategy Review, Urges More
The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation today applauds the Pentagon’s decision to scale back Pentagon spending in a way that best provides for the strength and security of our country, but labeled the move “only a step in the right direction.”