Gates tells Obama deep cuts would put troops in danger. Obama doesn't care

[Revmitchell]

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday in an interview on Fox News that President Barack Obama “double-crossed” him.

Obama pledged to Gates there would be no major changes to the Pentagon budget, Gates explained. That promise, however, was quickly broken. Obama instructed Gates to slash billions of dollars even though Gates had already cut the defense budget down by a significant amount, The Hill reports.

“I guess I’d have to say I felt double-crossed,” Gates said. “After all those years in Washington, I was naïve.”

Gates tried to persuade Obama that deep cuts to the Pentagon would endanger U.S. troops and was inadvisable because potential threats were increasing, not decreasing. The world was becoming more unsafe, not safer.

“I think he acknowledged that what I was pitching at a minimum was, ‘The world doesn’t seem to be getting better. Before you head down a path of deep cuts in defense, why don’t you take it kind of slow,'” Gates said. “You know it was one of those things where I lost the argument.”



Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/04/02/former-defense-sec-says-obama-double-crossed-him/#ixzz44pCDUlYL

 

[righteousdude2]

KIng Obama doesn't care! He only cares about his agenda, and who knows exactly what that agenda entails?!

 

[just-want-peace]

KIng Obama doesn't care! He only cares about his agenda, and who knows exactly what that agenda entails?!

IMHO, that agenda is turning the USA into a banana republic ASAP!!!! Mad

 

[righteousdude2]

IMHO, that agenda is turning the USA into a banana republic ASAP!!!! Mad

You got that right ... when he starts planting banana tree farms through the country, and importing monkeys to swing from those trees he will have accomplished the fete that will forever be his lasting legacy. At least we'll have the workers, also imported, who know how to run banana plantations.

 

[Zaac]

Perhaps if the obstructionist, do nothing GOP led Congress wasn't cutting everything else, the military budget wouldn't have to get cut to make up the difference in some of the other programs?

Also, if the cuts were such an issue for Gates, he should have resigned immediately instead of waiting until a book tour to complain. Looks kinda spurious as he appeared before to be in full support of making all sorts of cuts to the military budget.

Gates' tenure with the Obama administration has included a huge shift in military spending. In April 2009, Gates proposed a large shift in budget priorities in the U.S. Department of Defense 2010 budget. The budget cuts many programs geared toward conventional warfare such as the end of new orders of the F-22 Raptor and further development of Future Combat Systems manned vehicles, but increases funding for programs like the special forces.[65] Gates called this the "nation's first truly 21st century defense budget."[66] In late April 2010, he suggested the Navy cease funding development of a new multibillion-dollar ballistic missile submarine program on the grounds of cost and relevancy.[67] He has suggested the hundreds of billions of dollars would be better spent on a new generation of vessels tailored to the threats and tactics more likely to be faced, noting, "Mark my words, the Navy and Marine Corps must be willing to re-examine and question basic assumptions in light of evolving technologies, new threats and budget realities."[68] In a speech made on May 8, 2010, Gates stated that he would make politically unpopular cuts to the Pentagon bureaucracy in his future budgets.[69][70]

"The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, opened a gusher of defense spending that nearly doubled the base budget over the last decade. . . Military spending on things large and small can and should expect closer, harsher scrutiny. The gusher has been turned off, and will stay off for a good period of time."[69][70]

It was announced in August 2010 that Gates is trying to find $100 billion in Defense savings over the next five years in order to instill a "culture of savings and restraint" in the military. Secretary Gates said that "It is important that we not repeat the mistakes of the past, where tough economic times or the winding down of a military campaign leads to steep and unwise reductions in defense," Gates said "As a matter of principle and political reality, the Department of Defense cannot expect America's elected representatives to approve budget increases each year unless we are doing a good job, indeed everything possible, to make every dollar count."[71] These cuts include the closing of Joint Forces Command, fifty general and admirals, and the removal of 150 senior civilian positions.