Text 2754, 89 rader
Skriven 2006-09-29 00:56:00 av ROSS SAUER (1:123/140)
Ärende: US military
===================
Remember the 1990's?
How the right-wingers kept whining about "Clinton decimated the 
military?"

Well...

"For eight years, Clinton and Gore have extended our military 
commitments while depleting our military power. Rarely has so much been 
demanded of our armed forces, and so little given to them in return. 
George W. Bush and I are going to change that, too. I have seen our 
military at its finest, with the best equipment, the best training, and 
the best leadership. I'm proud of them. I have had the responsibility 
for their well-being. And I can promise them now, help is on the way."
Dick Cheney
Acceptance speech to the GOP national convention
August 2, 2000


Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker told congressional staffers 
last week he is worried that the Army cannot repair vital equipment fast 
enough because supplemental budget requests have been too little, too 
late . . . The service has a backlog of thousands of pieces of equipment 
awaiting repair because there is not enough money to pay for the repairs 
more quickly, Schoomaker said. None of the Army's five major depots, 
where damaged and worn out equipment is refurbished, is operating above 
50 percent capacity, he said.
Government Executive magazine
Funding shortfalls jeopardize Army operations, chief says
July 17, 2006


Schoomaker said the Army needs $17.1 billion in additional supplemental 
funding in fiscal 2007 to replace wornout equipment and as much as $13 
billion a year for two to three years after. Committee Democrats, 
including ranking member Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), echoed Schoomaker’s call 
for funding . . . [Instead] the Army is anticipating further cuts in the 
fiscal 2007 Defense Appropriations bill, according to a recent news 
release.
Federal Computer Week
Army machine stalls as Congress plays politics
July 31, 2006


"Schoomaker remembers the words of then-[Army] Chief of Staff Shy Meyer, 
who talked about a hollow army after the Vietnam War in the 1970s," said 
retired Gen. Paul Kern, a former Army Materiel Command chief. "Nobody 
wants to leave a hollow army after the operations in Iraq and 
Afghanistan."
Army Times
Army makes push for reset funds
September 5, 2006


The Army's top officer withheld a required 2008 budget plan from 
Pentagon leaders last month after protesting to Defense Secretary Donald 
H. Rumsfeld that the service could not maintain its current level of 
activity in Iraq plus its other global commitments without billions in 
additional funding . . .
"This is unusual, but hell, we're in unusual times," said a senior 
Pentagon official involved in the budget discussions.
Los Angeles Times
Army Warns Rumsfeld It's Billions Short
Septenber 25, 2006


Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had told Schoomaker that he had to 
come up with a spending plan that provided approximately $114 billion 
for fiscal 2008 -- a $2 billion cut from 2007. Schoomaker's response: 
"There is no sense in us submitting a budget that we cannot execute . . 
. a broken budget."
Joe Galloway
Our 'can do' Army can't do without more support
Septenber 27, 2006


The real question is: Can the Army do its job?" asked Lawrence Korb, 
assistant secretary of defense for manpower issues under former 
President Ronald Reagan. "The Army is not going to be what it should be. 
There are going to be more deaths and longer wars because you're not at 
your peak readiness."
Reuters
Army shows signs of strain in Iraq, Afghan wars
September 26, 2006

From Archae's Roost, Sheboygan, WI

þ CMPQwk 1.42 16554 þ
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
 * Origin: Try Our Web Based QWK: DOCSPLACE.ORG (1:123/140)