Hagel: As a consequence of large budget cuts, our future force will assume additional risks; American dominance can no longer be taken for granted

Further advancing President Obama's goal of reducing the size of the US military and allowing friendly allies like Iran and Syria to carry more responsibility in combating terror and facilitating peace, harmony and stability all across the globe [heh......], Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Monday the Obama administration's new budget proposal that calls for the US Army to shrink to 440,000 to 450,000 soldiers by 2019, its smallest size in 74 years.

The New York Times noted: "Officials who saw an early draft of the announcement acknowledge that budget cuts will impose greater risk on the armed forces if they are again ordered to carry out two large-scale military actions at the same time: Success would take longer, they say, and there would be a larger number of casualties. Officials also say that a smaller military could invite adventurism by adversaries."

The Wall Street Journal noted the proposed budget includes "a limit on military pay raises, higher fees for health-care benefits and less generous housing allowances for troops and their families."

Likewise, the Hill reported that "the budget unveiled by Defense Sec. Chuck Hagel would cut the growth of housing allowances for troops and their families, and reduce subsidies provided to military commissaries that provide military families with low-cost goods. It would also increase health care co-pays and deductibles for retirees and active-duty family members, except for those medically retired."

In 2011, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates - who acquiesced, and bowed, to President Obama's demands to begin dismantling the US military - stated: "If we are going to reduce the resources and the size of the U.S. military, people need to make conscious choices about what the implications are for the security of the country, as well as for the variety of military operations we have around the world if lower priority missions are scaled back or eliminated. They need to understand what it could mean for a smaller pool of troops and their families if America is forced into a protracted land war again... To shirk this discussion of risks and consequences – and the hard decisions that must follow – I would regard as managerial cowardice."

To acquiesce, and bow, to Obama's demands, despite the inherent dangers involved in such capitulation, is indeed managerial cowardice and absolute negligence.

Mr. Gates went on to say: "I know that after a decade of conflict, the American people are tired of war. But there is no doubt in my mind that the continued strength and global reach of the American military will remain the greatest deterrent against aggression, and the most effective means of preserving peace in the 21st century, as it was in the 20th."

Yeah, right, but what about the "managerial cowardice" and absolute negligence.....

The Daily Mail-UK reported:

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has proposed shrinking the Army to its smallest size in 74 years through a series of base closures and troops cuts, and by completely eliminating several Air Force aircraft fleets...

Hagel surprised some observers on Monday when he outlined a military philosophy that removed America from the center of its universe.

"The development and proliferation of more advanced military technology of other nations – it means that we are entering an era where American dominance on the seas, in the skies, and space can no longer be taken for granted...," Hagel said.

"As a consequence of large budget cuts, our future force will assume additional risks in some areas," he added.

Hagel's remarks would have been more precise with a few additional words inserted into the text.

Here's what he should have said, or, what he meant to say:

"We are living in the Obama [and Hagel] era where American dominance on the seas, in the skies, and space can no longer be taken for granted. As a consequence of the President and your's truly, our future force will assume a plethora of risks in a great many areas."