Panetta: May Have to Put 800K Workers on Unpaid Leave

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That's more doom and gloom over the coming defense -- Defense Secretary Leon Panetta telling congress that 800000.

Civilian pentagon will focus.

Could see some form of unpaid leave if these cuts go through.

Joining us now is colonel Ralph -- is always a good guest on this program.

-- welcome back.

Always great to speak you Stuart I wish it were better occasion yeah you're not happy about this -- you beat -- tell us what's what you feel.

Well I'm ashamed because the code of ethics in which I believe.

For the officer core is being violated right left by the joint chiefs and the services.

-- a kind of behavior I would expect from the Pakistani your -- and military.

Not ours basically the Pentagon -- -- doing everything it can blackmail.

Congress.

That's sort of focusing on the mission but I have something to look I did that sequestration costs were explain to me last night I and I am told reliably that it is an across the border.

-- every agency and let's look at within the Pentagon.

Every program.

Every area within the Pentagon takes exactly the same -- that fall.

The furloughs -- 800000 people are unavoidable it's not like that picking on -- -- painful area.

Getting rid of people at the -- but you know instead of weapons systems for example.

This is unavoidable it's the way the sequestration rule was written they can't do anything about it come.

That's simply not true.

First of all they can work with congress -- that -- trying to blackmail them.

But the earlier -- was speaking about.

Not I like these where hostages I think -- -- -- -- human shields.

But basically the services Defense Secretary Panetta are trying to make these cuts and there is flexibility with how do you cut within the categories.

They're trying to make the most painful as possible.

In -- -- -- -- our congressional districts classic example.

Newport News shipbuilding.

It's it's -- huge yard employs 21000 people.

The announced cuts would immediately cost almost a thousand jobs the threatened cuts could almost virtually put them out of business -- why does that matter.

Because it in these vitally important Virginia congressional delegation and Northern Virginia delegate.

Because that's where the defense workers are concentrated.

And they want these workers writing to their congressman -- sequestration is poorly done it's a it's a bad deal.

And by the way everybody agreed to it Obama sponsored it both parties agree to it and.

I am so.

I find -- silenced.

Centrifuges.

So despicable.

Unpatriotic and unworthy of our military -- canceling the carrier deployment to the Persian gulf.

And undercutting our Iran's strategy there were other places they could've cut they were trying to get congress' attention.

Debt -- this issue awful.

I've not heard you use strong language like that awful idea.

Frequent guest on the program but you've really feel strongly about this now let me just Chinatown -- a little bit yeah.

What in your judgment.

Always gonna get these -- because it looks to laws like we will get these cuts.

Well we may well get the cuts I mean god knows in Washington you can never.

Had never count out any level of Avery but if it cuts -- Into force.

The problems as the military's paid itself into a quarter.

By threatening to do was much damage to itself as possible effect -- girlfriend college is always threatening to kill herself.

Well you know.

-- military basically saying you know you know if you don't give us our way we're gonna shoot ourselves we it's just.

It violates the fundamental ethics of being a military officer and again -- use -- -- for the third time.

I am ashamed of the joint chiefs strong stuff go but look we really appreciate -- coming on -- I want to give -- that platform and we did and we thank you very much for being with us thank you well thank you -- and I hope no.

By -- has an honest job loses it.

-- -- thank you very much again.

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Panetta: May Have to Put 800K Workers on Unpaid Leave

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