Just another verification that there appears to be NO difference between Democronie and Republicrook. Clinton Spent years and millions reducing and destroying our military. Bush's campaign promises were apparently as trustworthy as Bill Clinton's depostion.

-Loki
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From: http://www.drudgereport.com

Plan faces wide opposition
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

When Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld convened a high-level Pentagon meeting Aug. 4, the goal was to win a consensus from the nation's highest military officers on cutting the U.S. military in exchange for requiring it to do less.

But what Mr. Rumsfeld found that Saturday was the civilian secretaries and four-star officers standing shoulder to shoulder. They voiced opposition to reducing a force already shriveled since the Cold War by a million active duty troops, to 1.37 million.

"The meeting did not go well," said an Army officer who was briefed on the session. "It ended early."

Pentagon sources said Army Secretary Thomas White made the point that the civilian leadership had not reduced Army commitments anywhere abroad, yet persisted in suggesting a smaller Army. Air Force Secretary James Roche objected to cutting fighter squadrons.

The sources said Mr. Rumsfeld remained noncommittal on whether he would endorse any reductions.

Positions have so hardened that Mr. Rumsfeld's aides do not meet as often with the service chiefs on Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) matters.

Four days later, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz met with the media to provide an update on the ongoing review. He proclaimed the Joint Chiefs of Staff had reached a consensus that the military must change to meet 21st-century threats. But Mr. Wolfowitz, who with Mr. Rumsfeld jointly leads the QDR's senior-level review group of service secretaries and the Joint Chiefs, did not specify what type of change.

Pentagon officials and congressional defense aides said in interviews that the consensus does not include agreement on cuts in Army divisions, Navy carrier battle groups or Air Force air wings.

"The leadership of the Army has sent very powerful signals they're going to resist this," said the Army officer, who asked not to be named.

"All the service chiefs are opposed," said a senior congressional defense aide who regularly consults with the top brass.

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