Budget Time for the DOD: Fight the wars or go for Congressional votes?

With the release of the President’s 2011 Department of Defense Budget, the Secretary is on the offensive for the right reason. With the overall budget at $708 billion and $159 tabbed for supporting operations in Afghanistan, it’s up to Congress now to do the right thing and not push thru the two programs Secretary Gates absolutely doesn’t want.

The focus rightly so should be on the service members fighting downrange and the continued improvements of the defense of the United States in the future. It is great to see that there is a big push to support the VA and similar programs that are aimed at improving quality of life, at least strides are being made. The supplemental money that is supporting contingency (combat) operations is a good start but if we are hoping to avoid another 9/11 than those in the fight need the best that the American dollar can buy. And it’s not out of fear that I write another 9/11, it’s a sad reality that we have to live in nowadays. It’s up to the American military and intelligence agencies to do the dirty work to protect those that love us and those that love to hate us here in the US cause that’s the job.

It is upsetting though to hear of programs that aren’t supported by the higher ups being pushed thru by Congress for nothing more than the votes back home. I think that those who are pushing for bad programs should re-zero their weapons and focus on what’s important.