Hannity Right, Media Matters Wrong, on Missile Defense and Budget
Posted April 9th, 2009 at 11.42am in Protect America.
Media Matters attacked Sean Hannity yesterday for “falsely” claiming the Obama administration is cutting the military budget and “misleadingly” clipping Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Contra, Media Matters, Hannity is correct on both counts.
Cutting the Defense Budget:
Media Matters notes that the current FY 2009 Pentagon budget is slightly over $513 billion and that Obama’s proposed FY 2010 budget is almost $534 billion. This makes it seem like a defense budget increase, but this isn’t an accurate comparison to make. President Bush’s FY 2009 budget projected allocating $549.8 billion in FY 2010. So Obama’s $534 billion actually represents an almost 3% cut in proposed spending.
More important are the future budget projections. Both the Bush FY 2010 projection and the Obama FY 2010 request fall significantly below the 4% of GDP benchmark of what is needed for defense. Using the CBO GDP projection, the appropriate number for the Department of Defense’s core program in FY 2010 should be roughly $563 billion. The real problem is the 10-year projection from the Obama Administration budget outline. In this case, the cumulative budget shortfall for core defense program (including non-DOD portions) is roughly $1.3 trillion against the 4% of GDP benchmark.
Cutting Missile Defense:
There is no way around this one. Secretary Gates flat out said “Overall, the Missile Defense Agency program will be reduced by $1.4 billion.” Media Matters spins: “Gates addressed rogue state missile threats, asserting that his proposals would focus on such threats.” But Gates’ proposals do not adequately address rogue state missile threats.
The Department of Defense has long recognized the need to maximize the capabilities of a comprehensive missile defense system by having a layered missile defense architecture, which would target attacking missiles in the boost phase, mid-course phase and terminal phase of flight. Gates’ budget scales back funding for boost-phase systems like the Airborne Laser Program and eliminates funding for some mid-course phase systems like the Multiple Kill Vehicle program.
- Author: Conn Carroll
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April 9, 2009 John F Muller, North Port Fla writes:
POLITICS: In todays environment, the most dangerous word to our society as we know it.
It is criminal just what is taking place by legislative action and the world wide demeaning of the Greatest Country in the World by our elected President.
From the games being played by Obama / Gates on our military budget to the massive Social Well Fare give aways orchestrated by Polosi / Read / Frank / etal in the name of STIMULUS will be the destruction of our Society.
Defense spending has demostrated a positive economic impact on select Regional economies. Governments primary responsibility is to defend our Country. It should be a no brainer: we maintain our military superiority and the economy benefits as well.
Speak softly and carry a big stick may be out of vogue with the liberal left and media, but it still works for me.
Energy Independence is also a a major benefit, to our security and immediate impact (Stimulus) to our economy across the East and West Coasts and the North West.
High paying union jobs (Construction, skilled trades) would floursh along the Gulf Coast in refinery expansion as well as New refining capability. Nuclear Plant Generation would also bring immediate economic impact to the construction trades as well as our Steel Industry and any number of mfg and fabrication industries along with high tech. ,through out the Country
Defense spending and Energy Independence should be the driving factors to lead us out of the economic down turn and they require NO Government action and or expansion with the exception of streamlined permitting.
A relative small portion of the monies already expensed for non stimulus social welfare programs is all that would be needed. Private investment would do the rest.
What is taking place is a POLITICAL SHAM / SCAM which will surely bankrupt our future generations and damage the Defense Capability of the USA putting us all at risk.