Political Quotes

“I will add that anybody who doesn't believe there is an emergency in the U.S. military is not listening to the U.S. military and has not been following the consequences of what we have done over the last 5 or 6 years in terms of cuts to the military. Over the last 7 or 8 years, we cut $1 trillion out of the U.S. military. We are on track now to have the smallest Army since 1940, the smallest Navy since 1915, and the smallest Air Force in modern times. We are on track to spend half of what we normally spend in time of war. Normally we spend about 4.5 percent of GDP to defend this Nation; we are on track by 2021 to spend 2.3 percent of GDP. I want to say this: In my view, this is an emergency. I want you to go back home and explain to those who are busting their ass to fight this war, who can't fly equipment because it is too dangerous, who are having to cannibalize planes to keep some planes in the air, who are stretched so thin that it is creating high risk. Here is what the Chief of Staff of the Army said: ``I characterize us at this current state at high military risk.'' This is the Chief of Staff of the Army telling all of us that the Army is in a high state of risk because of budget cuts. This $18 billion will restore money that has been taken out. That will have a beneficial effect now and is absolutely essential. It will give us 15,000 more people in the Army.…”