Government

Former Sec of Defense: More Defense Cuts Would Pose Threat to U.S. Security

Robert Gates: More Defense Cuts Would Pose Threats to U.S. Security

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

DENTON, Texas (The Blaze/AP) — Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates believes the $400 billion in cuts that the Pentagon will face over the next 10 years should be manageable but anything beyond that would pose a threat to national security. His comments come as Democrats and Republicans, alike, are looking for ways to better balance America’s fiscal situation.

Doubling those budget cuts, which has been suggested by some federal lawmakers, would have “a catastrophic effect,” Gates told about 1,200 people gathered Wednesday night at the University of Texas in Denton, just north of Dallas. “The U.S. must not diminish its ability to reply to threats.”

One proposal that The Blaze highlighted last month has been to cut back on military pensions — a subject that Gates did not address during his talk.

The former defense secretary spoke as part of a week of events planned at the university to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Gates, the former director of the CIA and past president of Texas A&M University, became defense secretary in 2006 under President George W. Bush and continued in the role under President Barack Obama until retiring in June.

He said bombings and attacks around the world in the decade before Sept. 11, including the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York, gave clues of what was to come.

“The understanding of a threat was there, but there was no urgency,” Gates said.

Cuts and no budget increases in the years leading up to the attacks were detrimental to the intelligence community and government agencies including the Coast Guard and Border Patrol, which were “denied adequate resources to do what was expected of them,” he said.

America’s role as a superpower also caused resentment, resulting in many people and governments – whether privately or publicly – to welcome “the calamity” that came on Sept. 11, 2001, he said.

While there’s no question that the U.S. has been lucky in the last 10 years not to have suffered another attack, he said, government organizations are now better at working together and the public is more aware. But he added: “We can no more eliminate terrorism than we can eliminate crime.”

Addressing U.S. involvement in the Middle East, Gates said the U.S. has accomplished its mission in Iraq because it is handing over a stable, democratic government. “Iraq’s future is now up to the Iraqis,” he said.

In Afghanistan, the U.S. must not “walk away once our combat role ends,” he added. “Allowing extremists to once again take control of that country would be incorrigible.”

About a dozen people stood outside the university with anti-war protest signs. His speech was briefly interrupted when a group of about 10 people began singing a refrain of “I ain’t gonna study war no more.”

Gates joined the CIA in 1966, eventually becoming the intelligence agency’s director from 1991 to 1993. He went on to serve as president of Texas A&M University from 2002 until 2006.

On a lighter note, he wouldn’t comment on Texas A&M’s move to join the Southeastern Conference, saying football caused him enough stress while he led the school. He said he once asked his wife why, of all the things he did in his career, Texas A&M football caused him the most stress. He said she replied: “Because you have no control.”

But he’ll soon resume the role of a college administrator. On Tuesday, he was named the next chancellor at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Gates received his undergraduate degree in history from the school in 1965 before getting a master’s degree at Indiana University. He also holds a doctorate from Georgetown University.

Comments (26)

  • Bernard
    Posted on September 9, 2011 at 1:59pm

    Our military had to put up with openly homosexuals entering our military. Then they have to accept the “seven rules of engagement” along with the “zero collateral damage” which has caused so many of our soldiers’ lives. Now the ultimate blow of cutting military spending when nations like China, Iran, even Venezuela are expanding their militarizes and modernizing them. This is one area we simply cannot afford massive cuts when the world is doing exactly the opposite.

    Report Post »  
  • Bill Rowland
    Posted on September 9, 2011 at 6:10am

    We need a strong military. With most Democrat administrations the first thing they want to cut are military salaries and benefits. Obumbler suggested that military personnel should buy health insurance coverage on the open market and not be covered by the military. (I guess Bethesda will be used by Obumbler and Congress). If they continue to change the rules for those on active duty and the retirees they will not have a career military.

    Pray for our president – Psalm 109:8

    Report Post »  
  • varptr
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 3:22pm

    Looking at numbers, you realize this guy is totally and completely full of it. He is a Bush/Obama dinosaur and needs a good solid fanny footprint, “to the moon Alice”! The precipitous rise in spending by the military is easily explained and crucial national debt and economy. It took 40 years to pay back and restore the economy after WWII. At the current rate we will need even longer to pay for these fools. First and foremost we need to withdraw the 1.6 million troops we have deployed world wide, bring them home and put them to work in the private sector. We have a ton of our total ability and GDP doing the totalitarian whims of an out of control Executive and military. We need to turn them loose.and then we need to shrink and mothball the unneeded ships, guns, tanks, robots, drones, satellite guys, pinhead doublespeak double down on othing boys, geeks, and intel wankers installed in over 200 new Washington DC buildings. And we need to do it now! Then we need to restore the mfg. and development of weapons and strength that critical potential drained by Bush and Obama, depleted by the hundreds of military adventures and Quixotic windmill bashing Ahab Spring support services. Then, a different model needs to be put in place to contain the burgeoning cancer represented here. The executive branch needs a pruning job. And we need to do it …………NOW!!.

    Report Post » varptr  
  • Madmadgrandma
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 2:54pm

    Obama is cutting the military by 400 billion so he can fund his jobs proposal…another dumb move…Do you think that shows why this Admin chose the 3000 troops to stay in Iraq?

    Report Post »  
  • hud
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 11:05am

    The waste, fraud, and abuse in the pentagon, like the rest of government is immense.

    Report Post »  
    • jonnydoe
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 1:20pm

      Ha! That’s probably an understatement.

      When the budget was signed into law on October 28, 2009, the final size of the Department of Defense’s budget was $680 billion. That doesn’t include the black budget, which is estimated to be another $50 billion.

      But we can’t touch the sacred cow! If we do, apparently we will be taken over by Muslims. What a pathetic joke.

      Report Post » jonnydoe  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 1:57pm

      Cut twenty five % across the board .
      Every govt. Expenditure …. Everyyyyyy
      Its the only wat out !

      Report Post »  
    • DisillusionedDaily
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:08pm

      @ jonnydoe

      What budget? The government has been funded with continuing resolutions since Oct, 2008. The only budget submitted since was Obama’s proposed budget last winter that was shot down in the senate, 97-0. The current fiscal year ends on Sept 30 and there has been no budget proposed to fund the government. I read somewhere that Cantor siad congress will try to pass another continuing resolution to do that.

      Report Post » DisillusionedDaily  
  • bharris0
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:54am

    We can shutdown most of those 900 over seas bases and bring our troops home. We can them put them on the border with orders to eliminate any vermin that crosses it, illegally.

    Report Post »  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:44am

    I believe that our troops are scattered all over the world so that we are left “defenseless”. That would work for all practical purposes, but for one thing: OUR LORD GOD WHO PROMISES TO DEFEND US, HIS KIDS.

    Now, those of us who are here, you know the “sob’s”, “HOBBITS”, “terrorists”, etc., need to get ourselves armed and ready to defend ourselves.

    Report Post »  
  • Tickdog
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:43am

    I have come to the conclusion that anyone that votes democrat is not an American..

    Report Post » Tickdog  
  • momsense
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:28am

    Does anyone really think Obozo gives a damn what happens to this country as long as he gets his class warfare and Communist dictatorship?

    Report Post »  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:16am

    Gates was obedient to Obama and made cuts. Gates should have not stayed on. JIMHO

    I thought el presidente say, we all had to sacrifice a little…I’ve not seen nor heard of any other agency taking cuts…Cut the do nothing liberal agencies, they are the low hanging fruit that add no value to the nation.

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • blue_sky
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:12am

    Gates used to be a CIA chief, than SOD. Now he is in a lobbying job for Boeing’s monopoly and trade unions who love those endless wars. In contrast, most USA military support Ron Paul.

    Report Post »  
  • TxMadMac
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 8:02am

    A weakened and or destroyed America is exactly what soros has told obama he wants ! Hide and watch !He’s done it to other countries, what makes you think we’re immune ? With all the libs. & progressives in DC anything is possible !

    Report Post »  
  • ares338
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 7:41am

    Defense wouldn’t be so threatened if we would bring our troops home from being scattered all over the world. This resource would be bettered served defending America. Most of the countries we are parked in hate this country no matter how much money or military aide we provide.

    Report Post » ares338  
    • Ssenkrad
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 7:50am

      My thoughts exactly. We’d save hundreds of billions of dollars if we just stopped aiding countries that hate us, and just bring all of our troops home where they belong.

      Report Post » Ssenkrad  
  • TexPat
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 7:22am

    Just what obummer is going for. Less protection of the United States from a foreign invasion. He has already taken over from within. I guess he did not take his oath of officer seriously. Or was he allowed to take the oath but not mean it due to his religious affiliations?

    Report Post »  
    • Darla_K
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 11:03am

      What do you expect of someone who lies to get into the Whitehouse that was not born here?

      Report Post » Darla_K  
  • flyoverbob
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 7:08am

    After he helped zerO cannibalize now its time to stop? What agenda does gates have? What does he want?Book deal?

    Report Post »  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 7:00am

    Resentment of who we are is the reason the SOB in the White House is doing what he can to distroy our GREAT COUNTRY – He wants calamity in our country more than anything else so he can make the fundamental changes he said he wanted. Eliminate the way of life for those that choose to get out and work to make something for themselves and their family. ELIMINATE the will to WORK is what he wants…………………

    Report Post »  
  • jcizarter
    Posted on September 8, 2011 at 6:58am

    Bring ‘em all home. We are Broke. What is it about Broke don’t you people understand?
    They can guard us better here and keep the terrorists at bay right here.
    We have nukes we can lob at people and we can make more.

    Report Post » jcizarter  
    • Darla_K
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 10:59am

      We can’t even keep the illegals out of our Country. How the heck are we going to protect ourselves?

      Report Post » Darla_K  
    • SageInWaiting
      Posted on September 8, 2011 at 11:52am

      Yes, we’re broke. Of all the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ of dollars spent in the (non-existent) budget, “provide for the common defense” is one of the few items actually specified in the Constitution as a valid line item. Are the policies of this and prior administrations prudent and wise? I could question them, too, but the concept of “Speak softly and carry a big stick” was proven by Reagan’s restoration from the Carter years; our ability to dominate during Desert Storm was his legacy. The White Flag, it appears, will be Obama’s.

      Report Post » SageInWaiting  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love