Obama is taking on the military. Reminds me of JFK

[DrSteveB]

A plan to save 100 billion in defense spending over the next 5 years, which any Republican would have wasted, was unveiled today. In each of the next 3 years 10% will be cut from "support contractors." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/14/AR2010091403804.html?hpid=topnews

I don't care what anyone says. $100 billion is a lot of money.

Troops were withdrawn from Iraq (I know, not all troops, but many). These measures remind me of JFK, who planned to withdraw from Vietnam before the military industrial complex took care of him replacing him with their darling Lyndon Johnson.

Kudos to the President.

[elleng]

1. Ditto.

And the Sec Def and Barney Frank and Ron Paul

[Robbins]

4. Defense Secretary

Some may not agree with me but I think gates has done a decent job under Obama.

[elleng]

6. He may be one of the best Sec Def ever, imo.

[impik]

14. He is very very good

[Pirate Smile]

2. It's great but also helps feed a little sense of dread with that comparison.

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Me, too.

I can't even let my mind go there.......

[zipplewrath]

3. It is alot of money

But those troops coming out of Iraq are mostly going to Afghanistan. And we are still spending a boat load in both places.

The DoD knows they are going broke, the argument is mostly about what it will get spent upon. It isn't going to be pretty and it will be very political. They aren't going to want to end Afghanistan, in part because of the access to "emergency funding". Those support contractors have alot of political clout.

[doublethink]

5. I think he is steping on egg shells as far as this goes.

In my mind I've seen this before too .... and have no idea how he will pull this off in the long run, but gotta keep the faith. The powers that be are so entrenched since Kennedy ... and I could care less if anyone in here believes in God ... but the man deserves our respect if not prayers. Kudos Pres .... do what chu gotta do. One day at a time. Peace.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. there are still missing biillions from Rumsfeld days

perhaps Rumsfeld will pay it back to the tax payers?

[Radical Activist]

8. I thought this might be part of the deficit commission reccomendation.

But it doesn't matter. This is great news no matter who proposes it!

There are a lot of comments about the deficit asking why we can't cut the military budget. It's nice to see that happening with this President. Now we need to push for even more savings by getting out of Afghanistan faster than planned.

[vaberella]

9. The rest of the troops, come out next year. n/t

[doc03]

10. He's stepping on some big toes there, it's going to

piss off some powerful people. Let's hope it doesn't play out like JFK.

[mistertrickster]

12. I heard there was not a lot of evidence that JFK was going to withdraw from 'Nam.

Close advisers said they hadn't learned of any plans to that effect.

[impik]

13. SELL OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, wait...

[pleah]

15. K&R

[Phx_Dem]

16. Oh God, don't say that.

:scared: