Obama vs. Obama on Defense Spending

[PVVikeFan]

Obama Contradicts His Own Position On Defense Spending

Today, Obama Claimed He Would Buck His Party By Increasing The Size Of The Military:

Obama: "I've said that we need to increase the size of our military, which politically, if it got to the floor, probably would pass. But there, as you know, [are] a whole bunch of folks on the left who think that that is a waste of money. I think it's important for us to do." (ABC's "This Week," 9/7/08)

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But In October 2007, Obama Told The Caucus For Priorities That He Would Cut Military Spending:

Obama: "I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending. I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems. I will not weaponize space. I will slow our development of future combat systems, and I will institute an independent defense priorities board to ensure that the quadrennial defense review is not used to justify unnecessary spending." (Sen. Barack Obama, Caucus For Priorities Response, 10/22/07)

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NOTE: The Caucus For Priorities Is A Nonprofit Group That Advocates Reducing Pentagon Spending. "His [John Edwards] campaign was endorsed by in Des Moines Friday by Caucus for Priorities, a nonprofit group that advocates redirecting certain Pentagon spending (for what it considers obsolete, Cold War weapons systems) to social programs and deficit reduction." (Mike Allen, "Edwards Waffles On Defense Spending," The Politico, 11/9/07)

[Diets17]

Pretty simple if you ask me, cutting military spending doesn't mean the military can't grow. It means you don't go to war unless you have to. How much money would we save again if we were out of Iraq my 2010 instead of say 2012. That would essentially cut spending.

How much do we spend on the military in a time of war?

How much do we spend on the military at other times?

I'm sure it's a HUGE difference.

Read close, he says he will cut waste and increase the size of the useful units. Just common sense.

[R13]

Do I really have to post some of the Mccain flip flops again?

[pvfan]

This is beyond stupid, and I'm being serious. It is impossible to have a sensible discussion here about Obama/McCain. You all believe the media to much. Google, wasteful Pentagon spending PVVikefan especially before 9-11 the amount of money the pentagon can not account for is absurd. I'm still waiting for anybody on either side to actually post some real truth about either candidate.

[imported_ut1]

They're idiots. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img] There, that's the truth and the whole truth!

Heck, I even heard one of the Redskins stumping for Obama. If I didn't have enough reason to vote against him, that's enough for me! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img]

[duckmeat]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ut1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Heck, I even heard one of the Redskins stumping for Obama. If I didn't have enough reason to vote against him, that's enough for me! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] </div></div>

that is the only thing you've posted that even begins to make me wanna change my mind..haha

[imported_ut1]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: duckmeat</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ut1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Heck, I even heard one of the Redskins stumping for Obama. If I didn't have enough reason to vote against him, that's enough for me! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] </div></div>

that is the only thing you've posted that even begins to make me wanna change my mind..haha </div></div>

Anything one of the Redskins(past or present) is for, I'm against! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img]

[centennialdawg]

No truth about the candidates, but I can give you some examples of spending cuts during wartime. One would think that during wartime, the military would have no limit on spending what it needs to succeed. But during Desert Shield/Storm, the exact opposite happened. Simple repairs to vehicles were left unrepaired and equipment was left behind then because of spending cuts in the military budget. Then, the new Humvee, which was never before battle tested, but replaced the jeep, had numerous breakdowns in the fuel system, specifically the injector pumps. This was a simple repair/replacement to perform, but because of budget cuts, there was virtually no money given to units to replace these. Cost back then for an injector pump: about 800 dollars. Hundreds of Humvees were left there and scrapped because congress would not ok funds for repairs. Even better than that, the pumps could be repaired, instead of replaced for about 75 dollars, still no funds were release to do this job. Several of the Bradley fighting vehicles were scrapped because of no funds for repairs. Ambulances were used by the upper echelon officers instead of being issued to batallion aid stations simply because they were "air conditioned", leaving the wounded to be transported by 2and 1/2 ton troop transports. Military spending does not need to be reduced, but managed more wisely. That is hard to do though, when politicians won't listen.

[centennialdawg]

And again, look at Vietnam. Politics and spending cuts killed us literally over there.