You're watching...
Ret. General Wesley Clark of the United States Army weighs in on the impact of military spending cuts on the country's safety.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
I don't want for the first time in thirteen years the US -- purse strings on military spending what is the impact of these cuts on our country safety.
Steady now as general Wesley Clark former NATO commander and current host -- -- a program called the edge of war.
And the Military Channel to Clark it's wonderful happy thank you review it was just partisan agreement between presidents Obama and Republicans as you know they -- to defense spending cuts 487 billion dollars over ten years do you think.
This is necessary given the fiscal crisis or does it put us -- -- Vulnerable position well I think the initial round of cuts it was agreed -- reasonable we're coming out of two wars we came out of Iraq were coming out Afghanistan.
The ground troops that we built up for those wars we didn't have when we started put those formations back into the reserve.
But the troops go back ten and corn with their lives and if we need them.
-- launch we've got the leadership we've got the experience we've got -- armed forces we got to focus on high technology space air and naval.
We've done a lot we're great.
But there's a lot of progress out -- being made by others and we must always have the technological edge.
But then there's the matter the sequestration right that -- what I don't get this water spending cut package of one point two trillion I believe it is.
And the military's in for another round of cuts 500 billion over ten years does that put us in jeopardy.
Well which certainly don't want to have to go down that route.
We've already capped the growth we've reduced the projected growth when you buy new weapons and new technologies it cost more.
We've got to avoid -- sequestration.
So I don't know what congress is gonna do because -- gonna come out come -- after presidential election.
With a lame duck congress before Christmas and they've got to do something with -- my guess is it'll be booted down range.
And then the new congress will have to deal with that and we'll have to live with these deficits awhile but you know the real key to this is not the cuts it's getting the economy growing again.
And if we would just focus on liquid fuels in this economy.
And go after that 300 billion dollars here we're shipping abroad to buy imported oil.
Our economy take off like -- skyrocket.
And the other issues the defense contractors huge proponents -- are they comprise huge as sections of the economy right so -- Boeing here and eat you know United Technologies they can't continue to get these military these defense contracts.
That could have an overall impact in the economy so -- the spending cuts but those those guys at risk.
Well it won't put the real technology providers at risk -- that may draw some programs out.
People will be -- will be the new companies that -- the service contractors the ones are provided the guards and security escorts in Iraq and places like that.
Those definitely going to be hurt.
They see the defense contractors are actually little down in a week for markets -- -- Your new program edge of -- and Military Channel takes viewers into the chain of events I think this is fascinating.
The step by step actions that actually led us to these declarations of war believe over modern history so.
What areas would you say now what you keeping your most.
When he keeping -- -- on are there areas perhaps involving North Korea Iran what what what most concerns right now.
One of the key lessons of the -- -- of war series is.
Strategic surprise is possible.
And you wouldn't want it to -- and some cases you you don't want your opponent to be in any doubt about what's gonna happen.
But the record of US military activities in the past -- two -- show that people really surprised from the US takes action.
I wish they wouldn't be we're were pretty transparent about these things but a lot of people didn't believe us.
So if you look ahead and you look at -- -- Korean financial for example.
There's a regime near that you had it's five decades six decades of brinksmanship.
All they do -- -- and show up.
The South Koreans are getting a little touchy so the north Koreans better be careful.
General Clark thank you so much appreciate your time covered a lot of ground is very interesting about the -- making -- US -- -- thanks.
