Former acting Defense chief under Trump calls for military budget to be cut in half

[jgo]

Source: The Hill

Former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller is making the case for the Pentagon’s budget to be cut in half in his new memoir, “Soldier Secretary,” arguing the U.S. military should be molded into a leaner and nimbler fighting force with prioritized areas of focus.

At the end of his memoir, Miller writes the U.S. must adapt to the threats posed by foreign adversaries like Russia and China by reforming the military, which he calls “too big and bloated and wasteful.”

“Our colossal military establishment was essential for our Cold War victory, but the Cold War has been over for 30 years,” Miller writes. “If we are truly going to end American adventurism and retool our military to face the challenges of the next century, we should cut military spending by 40-50 percent.”

“We could cut our defense budget in half and it would still be twice as big as China’s,” Miller writes in his memoir.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3852632-former-acting-defense-chief-under-trump-calls-for-military-budget-to-be-cut-in-half/

[WarGamer]

1. Even a broken clock...

Take the extra $$ saved and fund nationwide healthcare and a livable SS payment for ALL retirees.

[groundloop]

17. Hell Yeah..... And why does military ALWAYS get funding over and above their budget request?

Ever since I can remember Congress has funded the military over and above what they've requested. That's just idiotic.

[jimfields33]

25. I'd agree with this if we shut down every base outside the United States

Which we’d have to anyway to get 1/2 the budget cut.

[Escurumbele]

31. Unfortunately, closing bases outside of the USA is not a good option because, when we leave

Putin goes in. That is what happened in Venezuela, which up to this day I cannot understand why the USA did not deal a very heavy hand to get rid of Chavez/Maduro regime, now Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, China have infiltrated that country, they are depleting their natural resources (gold, steel, oil, etc.) and setting up a military base that it is too close to the USA for comfort. If we were to close the international bases the same will happen very fast, it took no time for Putin to take on the bases we left in Syria, the same would happen everywhere else.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

52. We need more base outside the U.S.

Most in the U.S. could probably be safely shut down. We should be negotiating for land and building bases and ports in Africa. China has a big head start there..

[KS Toronado]

36. Because of the Military Industrial Complex Ike warned us about

Military Industrial Complex is basically the wealthiest oligarchs in this Country who buy reQublican congress
critters and demand they promote products & services in the companies they have the largest stakes in.
And the critters go out and wave the flag, look at this new thing-a-ma-jig every solider should have.
What they're really doing is earning their reelection money, time to take $$$ out of politics.
We'll never reduce their budget until we have both Houses & the White House.

[IronLionZion]

40. That's classified and you hate America

Defense contractors spend a ton of money lobbying members of congress with lies/promises of jobs in their states. Many projects are constantly going over budget and over schedule. Then they ask for more funding since so much has already been spent.

[Warpy]

22. Yeah, but even I am not that nuts

and I've said for decades that the Pentagon needs to go on a strict diet.

I've proposed 10% per year, which means the biggest cut would be in the first year and would be enough to make the brass make some real decisions beyond the current culture of "use it all or lose it next year." It would be enough to get those Congressmen who want useless things the military doesn't want build because the plants are in their states/districts slapped down. It might get those warehouses of truly obsolete crap sold off.

But a sudden, 50% drop is something only a Republican could think is possible.

[Escurumbele]

30. Yes, 100%, ut not taking 50% off the budget, I would say a 20% will do and provide a ton of

money for healthcare, education, etc.

[jmowreader]

32. You're joking, right?

Every cent saved will go toward corporate tax cuts.

[onecaliberal]

3. Republicons side with Russia and China.They want to weaken America so we can be completely destroyed

[WarGamer]

4. Traditional liberals and progressives also think the war budget is too high.

War mongers and Republicans support neverending military budgets.

Oh and that's simply not true. We are so far above any military on the planet it's not even funny.

[Samrob]

9. Yep! So you know ay GOP that says that is just blowing smoke. nt

[azureblue]

10. our military

as he says, is full of antiquated concepts. Modern day warfare is now drones, GPS guided missiles, electronic warfare, hacking, etc.. Ground warfare, as the Russians are proving all too well, is not won by throwing troops into battle. Multi billion aircraft are little more than missile carriers, and they fly too fast to support ground troops anyway. That is what the warthog is for. Tanks are now sitting ducks for shoulder missiles, with ranges that make a person ask why use super speed aircraft to launch them? Those that profit off of war are the ones who are bloating the defense budget. We can halve the budget, refocus our weaponry to reflect modern times and still have the most powerful armed forces in the world.

And just stopping pentagon waste and contract abuse could drop the budget 15%.

Oh, yeah, one other thing - double the soldiers' pay, and make good the promise to take care of them after they get out, and that means top level care. Not this mess they call the VA, and not letting homeless vets walk the streets.

[WarGamer]

24. small nit, A-10's are VERY vulnerable to AA weapons.

Wasn't a problem in Iraq cuz they had nothing.

[Cha]

29. That was my first thought..

dt called the US Military stupid & suckers..

& he praises Russia and putitn every chance he gets.

[The Jungle 1]

41. Bingo we have a winner.

[PSPS]

5. Should be "Insurrection enabler and trump toady calls for military budget to be cut in half"

Another unqualified trump appointee pimping a book and, of course, promoting the kremlin position. This is just another advertisement courtesy of "The Hill."

[SoCalDavidS]

6. If You Think The repubs Would Cut Defense Spending To Raise Debt Ceiling, I Have Bridge To Sell Ya

[aggiesal]

8. I said that we could cut the military budget in half then use that money to ...

pay for after HS apprenticeships or for college and I was told that would never happen.

Here is a former acting Defense chief calling for the military budget to be cut in half.

[ancianita]

11. More "acting," I see. Fuck him. We need that budget as long as the West commits to Ukraine.

Chris Miller was the most experienced, short term tool Trump ever used during Jan 6.

[former9thward]

33. The Military Industrial Complex thanks you.

But no, we do not need that budget or anything close to it, Ukraine war or no Ukraine war.

[ancianita]

34. It's welcome. I'm no expert on military budgets, but no one can tell me that cutting each of our

five militaries' budgets in half is any expert opinion to be believed, either.

Just looking at the US Military structures in no way shows the breadth and depth of their command across the planet.

I can't even find an adequate Air Force organization, but will just put in this one military's broad budget.

But I do know it's easy to fool ourselves and talk tough, using "cut cut cut" lingo, as if we know better than they, that the 3rd largest nation on the planet --
with its Navy (with its own air force) that commands 75% of Earth, the oceans;
with its largest military, the US Air Force, which commands 100% of Earth's air

-- has missions that are at larger scale than we can grasp. What seems sensible is to trim down is the contractor sector.

[former9thward]

50. The Air Force "commands 100% of Earth's air"?

As a AF vet that is nonsense. We can fly where we are allowed to fly. Period. Most of the countries of the Earth do not allow us to fly and we don't or we will be subject to be shot down. We are not the police of the world. We can't afford to be and if we try we will be destroyed financially.

[ancianita]

58. I don't mean 'commands' in the international law sense, but the power sense. I think you get that.

[former9thward]

59. I know what you meant.

And I disagree. Do you think if we flew over Russia or China we would not be shot down?

[ancianita]

60. Well, then, understand that defense is useless without deterrence power.

Of course they would. But the military's command doesn't mean invasion, but defense. Usually of its global allies like Taiwan and S. Korea. Usually of global commerce, which wouldn't be nearly as stable as it is without the navy's enforcing the Freedom of Navigation the oceans, straits, etc., open for shipping.

If it weren't for Americans' paying for this military, there wouldn't still be a free Europe; more Ukrainians would be dead and the rest under Russia's autocracy; Israel would be gone; and the West wouldn't be able to back up the Hague's recent rulings on sovereignty around the South China Sea.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/12/5/2067569/-dots-dashes-and-lines-in-the-South-China-Sea-may-not-be-as-important-as-a-Russian-Ukraine-incursion

I don't defend the military's budget wholesale; there's always room for reconfiguring defense that calls for defunding and new funding. Real oversight and control over military contracting is important; its cybersecurity is important, which is why Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and Amazon contract with US Cyber Command to provide cloud, security services and engineering power.

[burrowowl]

57. Kick! Good DOD info.

[Mr.Bill]

12. Our military budget is pretty obscene.

But to suddenly cut it's budget in half would be an unemployment disaster. Like it or not, the MIC is one of the larger if not the largest employer in the USA. Now, if you want to cut the military budget and direct all that money that employs so many people and redirect it to other ways to employ people such as education or health care, that would be good. But it will take time to make that transition. We learned in WWII that military spending can result in a robust economy, and that has been entrenched in our government for too long to just suddenly end it without having another way to create all those jobs.

[lonely bird]

13. Warfare has become increasingly asymmetric.

The issue is not as simple as cutting the budget by a certain number. It is what should be cut, what shouldn’t be cut, how and why.

Military alliances might be more useful when approached diplomatically.

Chris Miller’s credibility is almost lower than whale shit due to Jan.6.

Also of concern is the impact on people. Cutting the budget by 50% will result in an increase in unemployed people both service members and employees of support private sector.

Again, not saying cuts shouldn’t be made. The cutting should be done with a scalpel as opposed to a chain saw.

I would also consider the VA and the entire Homeland Security apparatus as part of the military budget.

[dem4decades]

14. Fuck that guy,

[C_U_L8R]

15. Who's payroll is this clown on?

Russia or China? Or both?

[bucolic_frolic]

16. Whatever it takes to defend democracy, and THAT ain't it

[Fiendish Thingy]

18. Cut the budget, then use half the savings to boost the VA budget

All vets should get healthcare for life, period.

None of this “service related” red tape.

If you served, you get free government paid healthcare for everything for life.

[COL Mustard]

48. Sorry, but I can't agree with that.

Joe Snuffy who did three years in peacetime merits our thanks, and a GI Bill if there is one in place at the time, but not lifetime bennies.

(My first four years were in the early 1980s, no war (except Grenada) and no GI Bill, so I don't speak from a position of "I didn't get mine so it's not fair.)

[Fiendish Thingy]

49. But if the military budget is cut in half, wouldn't that necessitate a reduction in troops?

Fewer troops, and increased benefits could mean a higher enlistment rate, and the branches could be more selective about who they accept.

Limiting benefits for those who didn’t serve in combat has its drawbacks, as there are proven hazards for non-combat veterans as well. Perhaps make the minimum service four years.

Again, my position is based on the proposal to cut the military budget in half, and I’m suggesting using half of that cost savings to boost funding to the VA.

[COL Mustard]

51. Cutting the defense budget by half would IMHO

Require a significant pay cut to the troops. That would necessitate a return to the draft, since the services are already having a hard time recruiting. I don’t see any other way to fill the ranks, but I certainly don’t want to return to the draft. With the equipment we have today, it’s very high tech and you wouldn’t want someone operating it who was not motivated. We do a lot with equipment to protect the troops, and there’s no reason to go back to massive formations. Look at the Russian army as an example of what we don’t want to be. Their tanks have ammo stored under the crew compartment. That’s why you see the spectacular footage of catastrophic damage when they get hit. An Abrams can withstand a massive amount of damage and still be operational. It’s designed so that if the ammo gets hit, the explosion is vented away from the crew.

Sure, we can reduce some programs, but they all exist to meet a need. It’s a hard job prioritizing them so that we remain good stewards of the taxpayer dollars that are appropriated for us.

[AZLD4Candidate]

19. I'm sure that will fly with Repubiklan Party members in Moosefart, Montana or Frogballs, Arkansas.

But, knowing how brain dead Trumpers and Republiklans are, they have been attacking the military recently, so they may love it.

Yes, the military budget is too big and we spend more than the next 26 nations combined, but an across the board funding cut is not cool. Structured cuts to contractor contracts is what we need, not cuts to funding the actually GI.

BTW, isn't defunding the police a "Democrat" idea that is terrible because, you know, black people and crime, but defunding the military is okay?

[IbogaProject]

20. I suggest a drawdown

So we invest in moving personnel and resources to civilian uses. Military spending is "Welfare for The Rich" as it doesn't compete with their private investments the way other government spending does. It also creates a larger block of often conservative voters. It is the cancer that grows on our money system only creating money "at interest" without creating the interest. Marx described war as the way capital "exports the crisis". It is long time to draw the spending down like this guy says.

[ColinC]

21. You can cut the budget in half without probably affecting any practical aspect of the military

Same size and everything. Only difference would be less waste towards government contractors, etc

[Raven123]

23. Sure, let's bring our defense budget down like China - put the defense industry under the government

Then Miller would be complaining about socialism.

[cstanleytech]

26. I argue that rather than cutting it that it be increased by 100% and

that spending for infastructure be moved under DoD as our interstate system, dams, railways, schools and hospitals are just as vital to our national defense.

[hay rick]

27. You can cut the military budget in half and still have a bloated military budget.

Win-win. Now we have no Iraq and no Afghanistan. The two-front war criterion for military preparedness is looking comical given the demonstrated incompetence of the Russian military.

[alwaysinasnit]

28. I really hate having to use Sen. Grassley as a source but he's got a point.

https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/bipartisan-senators-slam-pentagon-for-continued-lack-of-clean-audit

Bipartisan Senators Slam Pentagon for Continued Lack of Clean Audit

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of senators is criticizing the Defense Department’s continued failure to obtain a clean financial audit, and pressing the department to prioritize the longstanding and documented issues preventing it from achieving that goal.

“As you know, the DOD has the largest budget of any Executive Branch agency, and unfortunately is the only agency that has not managed to obtain a clean audit opinion. The DOD only recently began conducting full financial audits, despite the fact that it has been required by law since 1990…” the senators wrote.

In a letter to the Pentagon’s Chief Financial Officer Michael McCord, the group of lawmakers highlights the thousands of outstanding recommendations from auditors and the limited progress the department has made over years. They also pressed the department to finally implement modern accounting systems to support effective internal controls and clean audits in the future.

The letter was led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and joined by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

snip...

[pecosbob]

35. Says the guy whose only act as SecDef was to stand down police during the D.C. riot

Fuck 'dis guy...

[KS Toronado]

37. "Don't take what I say too seriously...I'm a...."

You deserve some hearts for your honestly!

[SunSeeker]

38. Why didn't he call for all that when he was serving under Trump?

[Magoo48]

39. Yes, cut by 50% then freeze it.

[cstanleytech]

42. No, increasing the DoD budget makes far more sense actually as long as

we shift all of our infrastructure into the DoD and by infrastructure I mean our interstate system, bridges, dams, school's and healthcare.
After all those are just as vital to our national defense.

[The Jungle 1]

43. Two years ago I would have agreed to cutting the military.

However our military has proven beyond any doubt that we are the most powerful nation in the world EVER. By far, no one is even close. We have the best equipment. The best training. The least corruption.
We have 11 aircraft carriers. Russia has 1 and it has been in retrofit for years.
I am good with our power considering the nuts that are still out there.

[PortTack]

46. Agree completely.....since the Ukraine war and seeing what could happen, I will not complain

About the military budget ever again!

[paleotn]

44. Absolutely not.

And it's not the Cold War that's responsible for the size of the US military. I guess he's too young to remember "The peace dividend", BRAC, etc. when the Soviet Union collapsed and the DoD shrank massively in response. Though the bungled "war on terror" is to blame for some of the current size, the majority of the post "peace dividend" growth since the late 90's is the fact that even without a Soviet Union, we discovered that the world was just as dangerous as it's ever been. Arguably more so. Being on the edge or new technology is the key to our security and that of our allies, and that doesn't come cheap. Nor does funding Ukraine's defense. Something most "cutters" on this thread fully support.





In my mind, the former acting Sec Def is advocating the Xi and Putin plan for US national defense.

[3825-87867]

45. We don't have to cut the Military Budget in half...

or even 20%.
We just need to make sure Acme Hammer and Nails doesn't charge $500.00 for each $10.00 hammer and donate $100.00 to their politician.

[COL Mustard]

47. Hey Chris, the only way to do that.....

Is to return to the draft, since we don't have to pay draftees very much and most of them won't want to make a career out of the military. You think we want to do that? You ready for mass conscription and the de-professionalization of the military? I'm not. We are much more high tech than the WWII, Korean or Vietnam era Army and we don't want to return to those days. The largest part of the Defense budget, as you know, goes to pay and benefits (including the retired pay that you and I both get). Better rethink that, pal.

PS You were a lousy acting SECDEF.

[XorXor]

53. I don't know about half, but reroganizing for today's world and cutting waste seems good

That being said, I don't trust this guy's motives at all.

[SouthernDem4ever]

61. Same here.

Anyone with and "acting" title under the orange vomit was there for nefarious reasons.

[Kaleva]

54. Our stuff is a lot more expensive because it works

China made military equipment doesn't sell well on the world market.

[XorXor]

55. *sometimes works

That might be a bit harsh, but man do we have a lot of real stinkers of projects. We can just look at the Navy's LCS and the Zumwalts. Those seems to have more issues than the normal teeth cutting that happens. They are already planning on retiring the Freedom-class LCS ships. Although, congress apparently said no to that. I'm sure there some recent or current Navy folks who can speak more on that. Then the Zumwalt, we don't see much about those billion dollar ships, aye? I think there is someone here on DU who works in the DoD in a capacity that deals with this stuff, and I think they have discussed their opinions on it. At least I think it's here, it might be somewhere else. I dunno.

[Kaleva]

56. Most of it works

The Burke class DDG is an astounding success. Same with the Virginia class SSN. The Ford class CVN had some teething issues but they seem to have been resolved. Nation's around the world are buying the oft criticized F35. There must be some good reasons why they are choosing that jet over competitors. Maybe it's a lot better then some people claim?

[RocRizzo55]

62. But we're the cops of the world.

Thanks Phil Ochs

Come, get out of the way, boys
Quick, get out of the way
You'd better watch what you say, boys
Better watch what you say

We've rammed in your harbor and tied to your port
And our pistols are hungry and our tempers are short
So bring your daughters around to the port
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys

We're the Cops of the World
We pick and choose as please, boys
Pick and choose as please
You'd best get down on your knees, boys

Best get down on your knees
We're hairy and horny and ready to shack
We don't care if you're yellow or black
Just take off your clothes and lie down on your back
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys

We're the Cops of the World
Our boots are needing a shine, boys
Boots are needing a shine
But our Coca-cola is fine, boys

Coca-cola is fine
We've got to protect all our citizens fair
So we'll send a battalion for everyone there
And maybe we'll leave in a couple of years
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys

We're the Cops of the World
Dump the reds in a pile, boys
Dump the reds in a pile
You'd better wipe of that smile, boys

Better wipe off that smile
We'll spit through the streets of the cities we wreck
We'll find you a leader that you can't elect
Those treaties we sighned were a pain in the neck
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys

We're the Cops of the World
Clean the johns with a rag, boys
Clean the johns with a rag
If you like you can use your flag, boys

If you like you can use your flag
We've got too much money we're looking for toys
And guns will be guns and boys will be boys
But we'll gladly pay for all we destroy
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys

We're the Cops of the World
Please stay off of the grass, boys
Please stay off of the grass
Here's a kick in the ass, boys

Here's a kick in the ass
We'll smash down your doors, we don't bother to knock
We've done it before, so why all the shock?
We're the biggest and toughest kids on the block
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys

We're the Cops of the World
When we butchered your son, boys
When we butchered your son
Have a stick of our gum, boys

Have a stick of our buble-gum
We own half the world, oh say can you see
The name for our profits is democracy
So, like it or not, you will have to be free
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

[twodogsbarking]

63. We could do better.

[Quanto Magnus]

64. The could start with

the elimination of spending on POS fighter craft.