political : ARMY WARNS RUMSFELD IT'S BILLIONS SHORT [+] serious ballot by cranky ACTIVE Tue Sep 26, 06 - Sun Jun 21, 09 Army Warns Rumsfeld It's Billions Short An extraordinary action by the chief of staff sends a message: The Pentagon must increase the budget or reduce commitments in Iraq and elsewhere. LA Times, September 25, 2006 WASHINGTON — The Army's top officer withheld a required 2008 budget plan from Pentagon leaders last month after protesting to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld that the service could not maintain its current level of activity in Iraq plus its other global commitments without billions in additional funding. The decision by Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army's chief of staff, is believed to be unprecedented and signals a widespread belief within the Army that in the absence of significant troop withdrawals from Iraq, funding assumptions must be completely reworked, say current and former Pentagon officials. "This is unusual, but hell, we're in unusual times," said a senior Pentagon official involved in the budget discussions. Schoomaker failed to submit the budget plan by an Aug. 15 deadline. The protest followed a series of cuts in the service's funding requests by both the White House and Congress over the last four months. According to a senior Army official involved in budget talks, Schoomaker is now seeking $138.8 billion in 2008, nearly $25 billion above budget limits originally set by Rumsfeld. The Army's budget this year is $98.2 billion, making Schoomaker's request a 41% increase over current levels. Most funding for the fighting in Iraq has come from annual emergency spending bills, with the regular defense budget going to normal personnel, procurement and operational expenses, such as salaries and new weapons systems. About $400 billion has been appropriated for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars through emergency funding measures since Sept. 11, 2001, with the money divided among military branches and government agencies. But in recent budget negotiations, Army officials argued that the service's expanding global role in the U.S.-declared war on terrorism — outlined in strategic plans issued this year — as well as fast-growing personnel and equipment costs tied to the Iraq war, have put intense pressure on its normal budget. "It's kind of like the old rancher saying: 'I'm going to size the herd to the amount of hay that I have,' " said Lt. Gen. Jerry L. Sinn, the Army's top budget official. " can't size the herd to the size of the amount of hay that he has because he's got to maintain the herd to meet the current operating environment." * * * * * * * * If Rumsfeld has defined the mission (or missions)for the U.S. military shouldn't he be working to provide the necessary funding? Yes, that seems logical No, Rumsfeld should just give the orders and let the peons sort it out Register to submit choices Ballot #102515 : SEE RESULTS Comment: Register to submit comments You may still vote without registration show your vote with comment?

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