CPUd
01-27-2017, 07:20 PM
Trump fires opening shot in military buildup with presidential order
President Donald Trump on Friday took the first formal step to undertake a costly military buildup, signaling what could be a major turnaround from years of relying on a smaller, more agile force and within strict spending limits mandated by Congress.
In an executive memorandum he signed during his first visit to the Pentagon, Trump detailed plans to fulfill his campaign promises to invest in a bigger military — including more troops, warships and a modernized nuclear arsenal — declaring he was beginning "a great rebuilding of the armed services of the United States."
"Developing a plan for new planes, new ships, new resources and new tools for our men and women in uniform — and I’m very proud to be doing that," Trump said at a ceremonial swearing in of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. "As we prepare our budget request for Congress — and I think Congress is going to be very happy to see it — our military strength will be questioned by no one, but neither will our dedication to peace."
Trump's proposed military buildup is one of the key ways he's planning for a major departure from the Obama administration on national security issues. The new president also signed an executive action Friday on stricter immigration vetting, and there have been draft executive orders floating around Washington this week that call for safe zones in Syria, a review U.S. interrogation policies and the use of "black sites" for captured terror detainees.
“There’s no doubt he’s trying to signal a new direction,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
Trump’s order to make preparations for a military buildup — and to craft a budget plan to support it — will ultimately require the backing of Congress. But the Pentagon will have significant influence on setting the foundation and building the political support, according to experts.
“When you have an outfit with $500 [billion] or $600 billion a year to play with, there are a lot of possibilities to reprogram immediately,” said retired Army Col. Joseph Collins, who teaches national security strategy at the Pentagon’s National Defense University. “That takes the permission of Congress, but Congress is not going to say no to improving the readiness of the armed forces. Congress would undoubtedly support many of the measures that are on the Pentagon’s wish list here.”
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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-rebuild-military-executive-action-234288
President Donald Trump on Friday took the first formal step to undertake a costly military buildup, signaling what could be a major turnaround from years of relying on a smaller, more agile force and within strict spending limits mandated by Congress.
In an executive memorandum he signed during his first visit to the Pentagon, Trump detailed plans to fulfill his campaign promises to invest in a bigger military — including more troops, warships and a modernized nuclear arsenal — declaring he was beginning "a great rebuilding of the armed services of the United States."
"Developing a plan for new planes, new ships, new resources and new tools for our men and women in uniform — and I’m very proud to be doing that," Trump said at a ceremonial swearing in of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. "As we prepare our budget request for Congress — and I think Congress is going to be very happy to see it — our military strength will be questioned by no one, but neither will our dedication to peace."
Trump's proposed military buildup is one of the key ways he's planning for a major departure from the Obama administration on national security issues. The new president also signed an executive action Friday on stricter immigration vetting, and there have been draft executive orders floating around Washington this week that call for safe zones in Syria, a review U.S. interrogation policies and the use of "black sites" for captured terror detainees.
“There’s no doubt he’s trying to signal a new direction,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
Trump’s order to make preparations for a military buildup — and to craft a budget plan to support it — will ultimately require the backing of Congress. But the Pentagon will have significant influence on setting the foundation and building the political support, according to experts.
“When you have an outfit with $500 [billion] or $600 billion a year to play with, there are a lot of possibilities to reprogram immediately,” said retired Army Col. Joseph Collins, who teaches national security strategy at the Pentagon’s National Defense University. “That takes the permission of Congress, but Congress is not going to say no to improving the readiness of the armed forces. Congress would undoubtedly support many of the measures that are on the Pentagon’s wish list here.”
...
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-rebuild-military-executive-action-234288