header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
February 6
1988 - Saugus Speedway owners demolish historic Bonelli Ranch House [story]
Bonelli House


A sequestered defense budget would break the back of our armed forces, jeopardize America’s ability to defend itself against nuclear attack, and might force a return to the draft.

So says a white paper prepared by the staff of the House Armed Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Santa Clarita.

“Sequestration” is a mechanism Congress can use to dodge the hard work of deciding what programs to cut. Under a sequestered budget, every government program gets cut equally to meet spending cap. So far, Congress hasn’t used it – but under the Budget Control Act that President Obama signed into law Aug. 8, sequestration will kick in automatically in January 2013 unless Congress acts before Dec. 23, 2011, to cut spending by $1.2 trillion within 10 years.

If Congress fails to decide what to cut by Dec. 23 – or cuts less than $1.2 trillion – every government program gets slashed equally to make up the difference.

The House Armed Services staff analyzed what an anticipated 18 percent cut would mean to the half-trillion-dollar annual defense budget – which already faces $465 billion in cuts over the next decade.

“Deeper cuts to our military, which has already endured the largest share of cuts, would be irresponsible,” the staff report states.

As a percentage of the federal government’s total budget authority, under sequestration, military spending would fall to its lowest level since before World War II.

Some 200,000 soldiers and Marines would be out of a job and would exacerbate the unemployment problem, the report states. While the nation’s unemployment rate is 9 percent, the current rate is 22 percent for young veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and 41 percent for wounded veterans. The Navy and Air Force, already below pre-9/11 levels, would also see further force reductions.

“(The) resultant force structure (would be) insufficient to decisively win an engagement in one theater while defending vital national interests in another,” the report states.

It would threaten America’s ability to “respond to potential contingencies in North Korea and Iran” and adequately defend Israel, Taiwan and deployed U.S. troops, it states.

“With a hollow force akin to the Carter era,” the report continues, “defending our freedom will be harder and cost more in terms of both blood and treasure.”

The Navy would likely mothball more than 60 ships including two carrier groups, “while we give up nearly a third of Army maneuver battalions and Air Force fighters, a quarter of our bombers, and jeopardize our ability to defend America against a nuclear attack.”

The report anticipates a “threefold effect” on America’s nuclear deterrent: “(1) we will have less early warning about a nuclear missile launch; (2) for the first time in seven decades, allies and adversaries will question our ability to provide a nuclear response to an attack; and (3) our ability to defend against incoming missile attack against the United States will be degraded.”

The report also predicts an all-volunteer military would be unsustainable if troops “vote with their feet and leave the force” if the cuts take a bite out of health care and retirement, and if the force reduction leads to longer and more frequent deployments for those who remain.

Said McKeon: “To try to break the back of the recession on the backs of the military means – who will have our back the next time we’re attacked?”

McKeon is scheduled to discuss the defense budget Sunday at 10 a.m. Eastern on C-SPAN, repeating at 6 p.m Eastern (7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Pacific).

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Wednesday, Feb 5, 2025
Feb. 9: The Cube Hosts 2025 West Coast Hockey Conference Playoffs
Hockey fans, get ready! The Cube, Ice and Entertainment Center, Powered by FivePoint Valencia, is excited to welcome back the 2025 West Coast Hockey Conference Playoffs.
Wednesday, Feb 5, 2025
LASD Homicide Bureau Responding to a Death Investigation, 21000 Nandina Lane, Newhall
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide investigators are responding to a death investigation.
Tuesday, Feb 4, 2025
Feb. 8: Valencia High Hosts WGASC Classification, Debut Show
Valencia High School’s Pride of the Vikings Color Guard will host the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Classification and Debut Show, featuring 39 high school color guard teams from across Southern California.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1988 - Saugus Speedway owners demolish historic Bonelli Ranch House [story]
Bonelli House
Steven Leigh Morris, founding editor of "Stage Raw," curated his list of the 10 best Los Angeles theater productions of 2024. Among them were three shows that featured the creative talents of California Institue of the Arts alumni and faculty.
CalArtians in ‘Stage Raw’s’ Top 10 L.A. Theater Productions of 2024
Applications for the 2025 Virginia Wrage Memorial Scholarship are now available from the Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley.
Zonta of SCV Wrage Scholarship Applications Available
Hockey fans, get ready! The Cube, Ice and Entertainment Center, Powered by FivePoint Valencia, is excited to welcome back the 2025 West Coast Hockey Conference Playoffs.
Feb. 9: The Cube Hosts 2025 West Coast Hockey Conference Playoffs
Interested members of the public are invited to the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency’s Water Resources and Watershed Committee meeting on Feb. 12, 2025.
Feb. 12: SCV Water Agency Water Resources,Watershed Meeting
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business has granted California State University Northridge’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics supplementary accreditation for its accounting program.
CSUN’s Nazarian College Receives Dual Accreditation
The Department of Animal Care and Control has announced that the Castaic Animal Care Center has reopened its doors to the community after a temporary closure due to the recent Hughes Fire on Jan. 22.
Castaic Animal Care Center Reopens Following Temporary Closure Due to the Hughes Fire
California State University, Northridge is celebrating Black History Month with a variety of events that highlight Black achievements and provide advice on how to navigate the workforce. 
CSUN Celebrates Black Success During Black History Month
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide investigators are responding to a death investigation.
LASD Homicide Bureau Responding to a Death Investigation, 21000 Nandina Lane, Newhall
Members of California State University Northridge’s Jazz “A” Band are getting a rare opportunity next month to perform alongside acclaimed artist and jazz pianist Jason Moran as they explore the music of jazz great Duke Ellington.
Feb. 13: CSUN Jazz “A” Band to Perform with Jason Moran
1921 - After leasing since 1918, William S. Hart purchases the Horseshoe Ranch in Newhall from Babcock Smith [story]
Hart ranch
Valencia-based Pets Global Inc., a pet food manufacturer, is coordinating with animal welfare organizations to distribute over 35 tons of its pet food to the Southern California communities affected by January’s wildfires.
Valencia Pet Food Company Donates to Fire Impacted Communities
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to the 24000 block of Woolsey Canyon Road in Chatsworth on Monday, at around 4:30 p.m. regarding a brush fire. Upon arrival, deputies saw a group of witnesses detaining a suspect. The suspect was in a prone position on the ground.
LASD Reports Witnesses Detain Arson Suspect
Dr. Rian Medlin will join Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Medlin will replace longtime Henry Mayo Chief Human Resources Officer Mark Puleo, who is retiring.
Dr. Rian Medlin to Join Henry Mayo as VP, Chief Human Resources Officer
Valencia High School’s Pride of the Vikings Color Guard will host the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Classification and Debut Show, featuring 39 high school color guard teams from across Southern California.
Feb. 8: Valencia High Hosts WGASC Classification, Debut Show
The city of Santa Clarita will host "FestAbility," presented by UCLA Health, formerly known as the Free To Be Me Festival, for its fourth consecutive year on Sunday, May 4, from noon to 3 p.m.
May 4: ‘FestAbility’ Celebrates Special Needs Community at West Creek
College of the Canyons men's golf placed first in the Western State Conference opener at Oakmont Country Club on Monday, Feb. 3, while taking individual medalist honors and seeing three players finish in the top-10
Canyons Wins WSC Opener at Oakmont Country Club
Salt Creek Grille in Valencia will host an all-day lunch, dinner, bar and take-out fundraiser to benefit Carousel Ranch’s 11th Annual “Carousel Wishes & Valentine Kisses” Campaign.
Feb. 6: Eat at Salt Creek to Support Carousel Ranch
College of the Canyons fell in its home opener during a tight 6-3 match vs. College of the Sequoias on Friday, Jan. 31 at the Cougar Courts.
Cougars Fall 6-3 to Sequoias in Home Opener
1822 - Surveyor Edward F. Beale born in Washington, D.C.; cut through Newhall Pass 40 years later, assembled 270,000-acre Tejon Ranch [story]
Edward Beale
The Chicago-based national arts funding organization United States Artists announced its 2025 Fellows, which includes alums of California Institute of the Arts
CalArtians Among 2025 USA Fellows
The city of Santa Clarita Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission will meet Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Santa Clarita City Hall
Feb. 6: Parks, Rec, Community Services Commission to Meet
Presented by the MAIN and Produced by Vanguard Theatre Collective, the Canned Ham Comedy Variety Show will be on stage 8-10 p.m. Thursday, March 6 at the MAIN 24266 Main St., Newhall, CA 91321.
March 6: The MAIN Presents Canned Ham Comedy Variety Show
SCVNews.com