Obama would scrutinize weapons spending

[Boats]

Navy Times is reporting -

Obama would scrutinize weapons spending

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 2, 2008 11:44:37 EDT

An Obama administration would not try to cut defense spending, at least not initially, but some weapons programs — especially those experiencing cost overruns — would be reviewed for possible cancellation or major revisions, the Democratic presidential candidate’s senior national security adviser said.

Former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, meeting Thursday morning with defense reporters in Washington, cited the Army’s Future Combat System and the national missile defense program as examples of weapons systems likely to get close scrutiny if Sen. Barack Obama wins the November presidential election.

Danzig, who served as Navy secretary in the Clinton administration, highlighted the two programs as examples of the hardware challenges facing the Pentagon because of what he called “affordability” issues.

Obama, an Illinois Democrat, supports investing in missile defense and understands why the Army wants to revamp its weapons programs, but Danzig said the “realities of cost” need to be considered along with weapons requirements.

In what Danzig called a policy of building a military with balance, he said an Obama administration would not allow the Navy and Air Force’s hardware needs to be overlooked but would try to concentrate on weapons and equipment that have wider purposes than those that address only a single threat, so that the military could have an affordable force with “a full range of capabilities.”

Asked about one of the biggest military hardware controversies, the delayed and disputed contract for a new Air Force tanker, Danzig said Obama will not take sides yet.

“People are trying to read the tea leaves, which is difficult because we have not made the tea,” Danzig said.

Obama believes the Army and Marine Corps should grow, but that should not be achieved at the expense of maintaining personnel quality, Danzig said.

“Barack has been very clear we need to expand the size of the military,” he said.

As one might expect of a former Navy secretary, Danzig said another problem facing an Obama administration is a need to spend more on shipbuilding.

It is “obvious we are not building enough,” Danzig said.

Obama’s praise for current Defense Secretary Robert Gates has prompted speculation that Gates might be asked to stay on as the Pentagon chief in an Obama administration.

But Danzig said he is aware of no discussions about offering to keep Gates on and did not expect any discussion until after the Nov. 4 election.

“I think Secretary Gates has been a good secretary of defense,” Danzig said. “I think in an Obama administration, he would be an even better one.”

[SuperScout]

In his own words, Barack Hussein Obama, the bastard son of a Kenyan bigamist and socialist, has already said that he will cut back or totally eliminate the Strategic defense Initiative or anti-missile system that has already had striking success. The elimination of this defensive shield will make our homeland that much more vulnerable.

[darrels joy]

These 2 guys were also the "the surge won't work in Afghanistan" that Biden 'quoted'.