Question for you (Mr. Secretary) is – as we’re transitioning out of Afghanistan, it seems that we’re going to have the rotations (inaudible) here to Iraq. Now, there’s a lot of stuff that’s happened in the world in the last year. Aggression with Russia, a lot of things have changed, and the presence of ISIS and instability in the Middle East is very real. With all of those things that — that have really come to the table in the last year, we still have the plan to downgrade or have less soldiers in the military. How do we anticipate being able to put up a fight on multiple fronts to be able to provide the force that we need stability in the world when we don’t have those full powered changes”, asks soldier in Baghdad. Pictured here: Hagel arrives in Baghdad under tight security.
Secretary of Defense Chick Hagel arrived in Baghdad, Iraq on December 9, 2014 under tight security, during which he visited troops and took questions from soldiers stationed there on many subjects.
Including one question in particular from a rather insightful young military intelligence officer (from Kansas city, Missouri) who asked about a host of questions including the transition from Afghanistan, troop rotations, future threats, instability in the Middle East, ISIS and military budget cuts:
Q: Question for you (Mr. Secretary) is – as we’re transitioning out of Afghanistan, it seems that we’re going to have the rotations (inaudible) here to Iraq. Now, there’s a lot of stuff that’s happened in the world in the last year. Aggression with Russia, a lot of things have changed, and the presence of ISIS and instability in the Middle East is very real. With all of those things that — that have really come to the table in the last year, we still have the plan to downgrade or have less soldiers in the military. How do we anticipate being able to put up a fight on multiple fronts to be able to provide the force that we need stability in the world when we don’t have those full powered changes.
SEC. HAGEL: Well, thank you, captain, for what you — what you do, where are you from?
Q: I’m from Kansas City, Missouri, an intelligence officer (inaudible).
SEC. HAGEL: OK. Thank you. Well, it’s an important question. And it’s the one — it’s the question that we are working through and dealing with every day, and you’ve framed it up pretty well. Even though we are now coming out, as you noted, in Afghanistan of 13 years of the United States leading combat operations. Thirteen years of two long ground wars: Iraq, Afghanistan. Always there’s going to be a shift in force posture, force structure, in platform’s focus. That’s historical, that’s cyclical. We’ve done that after every war that we have fought. So, that is not new.
But what is really critically important is what you just said. With the threats around the world, as they are, and all we need to do is review the last eight months as to what’s happened in the world, first in the Middle East, ISIL, what you all are dealing with. Second, what you mentioned the new, very dangerous, irresponsible aggressiveness of Russia, and what they’re doing, invasion Crimea, incursion into Ukraine. Ebola, West Africa, smaller threats around the world, put constant pressure on us, on you.
At the same time, our budget has been decreasing in a very dangerous, abrupt way that has hurt our readiness, and obviously jeopardize our ability to continue to think through longer term, especially investment in platforms that have to be invested in now, to keep the technological edge that we have had since World War II, in the sophistication and the technology, and the capability of all of our weapons. So, how do you balance that? And, again, it’s something that we are dealing with every day. We also are much aware, as you are, that readiness is — is much a — a central and defining dynamic of effective combat power, and ability to respond and respond effectively, as anyone thinks. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. You have to have all other components, but readiness means training, it means skill sets, it means all the things that go into training.
So, we have been okay so far, but if we don’t get this steep, abrupt budget reduction changed — which I have talked about, all of our leaders have talked about the last two years, specifically sequestration — if that doesn’t — if that doesn’t get changed, then we are going to be faced with some very, very difficult issues here in the next few years. Right now, we’re holding on. But, like any institution and this being national security which is — is the most important responsibility a leader has, the President of the United States has is the security of the country, you can’t short circuit, or you can’t short change your security budgets and your national defense budgets because a country will pay a price, and it’s that serious. We’re not at that point yet. But unless we have some changes we will be.
So, if that gives you kind of general framework of — of your — of your question and answer back, but it is something that we’re concerned about, we have been concerned about. We talked to Congress about it. And I think that we’ve got some opportunities the next year to get that turned around. Thank you.”
Source: Pentagon Press Release news transcript http://www.defense.gov/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=5556