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Retired General Wesley Clark weighs in on how spending cuts will affect the defense sector.
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Federal government's total budget large part of the automatic cuts will come out of -- Well known as the impact these cuts could have better then retired four star general and former presidential candidate Wesley Clark general thanks for joining us.
Thank you so defense could take a 46 billion dollar hit this year with congressional research service estimating a loss of defense dependent jobs.
By 907.
Housing will it be that back.
You know it it could be very.
Damaging.
2013.
Years or -- we're we're.
-- five months ended the fiscal year were in the continuing resolution authority we don't really gonna have a budget.
So when you try to take this money -- it comes out principally.
From.
Salaries.
From repairs from spare parts from fuel purchases.
One estimate by I heard says that -- united states army may take a thirty over 30% cut in its operations and maintenance account so lots of training won't occur people stay in.
Though motor -- for their equipment they won't be.
Irish going out to the national training -- or -- readiness training center aircraft won't be flying.
But the truth is that no one really has a one -- percent grip on this.
What's going on the Pentagon is being mirrored all the way down the line is people -- Figuring out how to write currently gonna -- any cuts in the most was.
Bond civil fashion -- and that's -- problem treasury came out with some figures on defense spending over the last ten years defense spending has risen 54%.
In the last decade and that's a real increase inflation.
Adjusted obviously we've had two wars.
But that increase actually includes.
Money spent under President Obama to so.
A 2% overall federal budget cut small potatoes against the big picture and considering defense spending has increased by that much in that -- -- time.
There's a lot of fat in the military.
-- -- -- fat but it is these your requirements.
That people saw that were funded by congress.
Everything was approved every requirement was justified every dollar in that defense program.
Multiple layers all of it admit that he -- -- -- saying he said we need this.
This sequestration.
In its development was designed to be so ridiculous that these cuts would never happen.
So -- there better cuts that could come in defense do you have any recommendations that would make a lot more sense than these punitive cuts that we're facing starting tomorrow.
Well sure because normally when you do cuts you you don't put her in order official constrain on -- that says every program has to be equally cut.
You look for the things that you audibly say if you could kill a big weapons system you could get billions out of that.
And maybe you don't need it in the past that a part revenge has -- big big weapons systems when his -- to save money.
But the department of -- is probably.
The most experienced group of all and how to deal with perspective cuts it starts at the topic goes all the way to the bottom it comes back up.
It's going on right now in the Pentagon -- should be making decisions and so where does that cut should happen general.
-- it's made at various levels because when that money.
Goes down it has to get sliced up Ed.
And smaller and smaller -- but -- Charlotte soprano and making the decisions on where the -- can happen that way short and rock and pop.
But he's not the one saying that at Fort Carson Colorado.
Fifteen houses it was supposed to be repaired or not gonna get repaired this right.
That happens somewhere else so it trickles down all the way down there may be a big cut.
Say okay we're gonna protect military manpower but we're -- -- protect fuel savings.
Somehow that.
Cut to fuel purchases.
Goes all the way down to were some company commander of Fort Carson or Fort Hood says.
We can't move the tanks for the next thirty days and as we don't have -- fuel.
There are proposals out there by various congress people to eliminate the draft that's a small portion of the budget only about 22 point five million.
I believe but also we have many thousands of troops still stationed in Europe since the Cold War those are some ideas that have been bandied about this week what do you think of -- Well I think they're they're reaching.
Mark of the defense budget has grown.
The Defense Department can responsibly.
Cut back were coming out of Afghanistan there or.
Savings that are going to be made it but I think we have to put the defense program in in the context of what is the national strategy.
So why why be opposed to further cuts in Europe -- don't lot of cutting in Europe we need our forces over there they reassure allies.
They maintain stability and they you sure as a launching cared for elsewhere.
I have no -- general I'm just curious do you think if -- sequester cuts do you happen our national security is in more serious jeopardy.
Are we at risk are we don't think.
-- get through this I think the United States gonna survive we're gonna make it but there's going to be individual or -- okay that's the issue.
We sure thank you for your time in your insights general Wesley Clark real pleasure thank you interest -- -- stuff.
