Socialists, Kristol Attack Obama Over Defense Budget -- Socialists Right On The Facts
The pirate drama of the past several days didn't just trip up USA Today vis-à-vis the defense budget. It also snared Bill Kristol.
In an appearance on Bill Bennett's radio show yesterday, Kristol affirmed Bennett's portrayal of the administration's plans to reform (and enlarge) the defense budget as "budget cuts."
KRISTOL: Unfortunately, given the world we live in, this is not something we can skimp. And that's another thing I hope the president realizes....BENNETT: Budget cuts. The defense budget cuts, right?
KRISTOL: Well I hope he thinks about that.
In fairness to Bennett, though, Kristol is arguably a repeat offender. Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) sat down with the editor of the Midwest City Sun and "expressed that one of his greatest concerns are [sic] the cuts to military spending."
He said, while he generally thinks President Barack Obama spends and taxes too much, he thinks he is underfunding the defense budget.He further explained his concern that as defense spending is cut, it will have a direct impact on Oklahoma, with its many bases and support services for these bases.
"If you squeeze defense, you're going to hurt the Oklahoma economy in some way," he stated. He is also worried that as the legislature makes changes to the oil and gas industry that Oklahoma will take a hit that way as well.
Back in February, Cole said government spending was "a recipe for disaster," noting that the stimulus bill "creates 30 new federal programs and agencies, growing the government to the largest size ever." The Department of Defense, which procures contracts in Cole's district, is also a government agency.
In good news, though, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) gets the defense budget story exactly right. "Despite corporate media claims to the contrary, the defense budget submitted to Congress by the Obama administration for 2010 includes an overall increase of 4 percent over 2009," writes Jonathan Miller of PSL. But don't mistake their corrective note for being a sign of support. "While millions are losing their homes and jobs," Miller adds, "the Obama administration is extending U.S. wars that oppress and murder people abroad for corporate profit."
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
snark
Damn right Kristol! Nuke them effin Pirates! Get 'em with air superiority- F22's and aircraft carriers! Throw all the money we got at them Pirates! Who needs subtlety and skill, when we can nuke 'em!
/snark
April 14, 2009 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't believe I heard Krauthammer state he was in agreement with all of Gate's plans apart from missile defense.
April 14, 2009 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why? It's not like Gates is some crazy anti-military liberal. There's really nothing about the military budget for even a hawkish conservative to complain about. It's an increase over 2009, ferchrissakes.
The issue is that the whole conversation has been dragged way past the far right and into looney land, where things don't even pretend to make sense.
April 14, 2009 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
It seems that the mad ravings of Beck and Limbaugh are actually having an effect on the left's ability to assess the situation.
April 14, 2009 6:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's annoying so-called conservatives would agree with a Gates style military plan; and will hypocritically also support the Crusader mobile artillery, more carries, subs, stealth bombers, F22, missile defense, or increased Special Forces and light armor, without any discrimination. Which one is it?
They complain about government waste, but a small efficiency in military spending is enough to fund various domestic programs entirely.
April 15, 2009 7:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if the socialists got all the facts correctly. Especially when they connote murder and oppression as a sign of the wars that we are in. It's not murder when the troops are fired upon, and it's not oppression, when we're handing the country back to the Iraqis.
April 14, 2009 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was in a store today and another guy at the counter was telling the cashier that we should send our biggest ships to the coast of Somalia, find all the "mother ships" and blow every one of them right out of the water.
I wondered if he thinks the "mother ships" are all painted black and sport pirate flags atop their masts, to make for easier spotting...
April 14, 2009 7:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like that idea, SkipperFlipjack. We could use the MOAB (Mother Of All Bombs) on the "mother ships" and have a mother of a time doing it. (sarcasm)
And I see you are giving military secrets away by telling the pirates how we are going to identify them - the pirate flags atop of the masts of black ships. Shame on you. (I enjoyed your post)
April 14, 2009 8:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
The successful sniping of the pirates succeeded by patience, skill and restraint. Not by indiscriminately cluster bombing some brown people.
April 14, 2009 11:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I heard today the piracy started after the government collapsed and was unable to defend their territorial waters. Foreign commercial fishing "pirates" came in and over fished their waters causing a loss of fishing income and starvation on the coast. The pirates began by raiding these illegal fishing ships to collect "tolls" for fishing their waters.
Obviously these guys are dangerous and criminal. But, otoh, they're desperate and have also been victims. It's really an existential problem for these poor Somali fisherman.
I hope we're also trying to aid and stabilize the region as much as possible.
If not, these dirt poor failed states and losers int he global economy are going to be recruiting grounds for terrorism.
April 15, 2009 7:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Basically right. In addition to that, European companies (whose names I've forgotten and am too lazy to research atm) -- dumped toxic chemical and nuclear waste off the Somali coast, causing great damage to fish and human populations in the area.
If that doesn't qualify as "piracy", I think we need a new definition of the term.
And any strategy to address the piracy now extant off the Somali coast needs to address these issues. You're absolutely right, aid and stabilization assistance -- that doesn't involve corporate welfare -- is essential.
April 16, 2009 12:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't even read this atricle and can safely say: Who gives a fuck what Bill Kristol has to say .... about anything!
April 16, 2009 7:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely. I read what he thinks only to confirm that my opposite opinion is correct.
April 18, 2009 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a talking head and founding member for the AFI, his comments sound about right.
The 2010 budget for the Defense Department is increased not decreased, but Kristol has never been one to let FACTs alter his opinion or talking points.
You can only lie so much until the public rejects you...Kristol has reached that tipping point and is on the downward slide to oblivion.
April 19, 2009 9:46 AM | Reply | Permalink