Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

What gets 'cut' from the defense budget?

Details

  • Description

    John Vonglis says invest in cyber security

  • Duration 5:29
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest News

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

And turning now in the studio is John violence he's a former comptroller.

Of the united states air for a -- he's the money guy won't.

That was a money guy okay now.

It -- big stories now and I think going forward is a defense budget you've got President Obama who says we're gonna do more with last.

You've got -- paramilitary leaders on Capitol Hill saying out what we are all signing up for this new budget.

And then you have other people saying she you're not going to be able to cut the defense budget to that extent without cutting a lot of capabilities are we expect our forces.

To be able to achieve -- in case of crisis where -- well.

I think it -- hasn't really hard news reports.

-- national.

Rules.

It's.

Right.

It's back need -- beating.

Sounds -- He's.

War.

So and so -- back -- revolution to the present situation and find themselves funding the wars -- -- -- what -- -- It's not.

These these wars in these defense that was are not -- at a level that sustains.

Over the long term.

And you're actually cutting way too much -- what I mean by that and if you look at defense outlays as a percentage of GDP.

Going back to World War II when we -- obviously -- of global war they represented about 38%.

Of GDP.

Contrast that with today when we're almost at.

Just shy of 5% for half percent of GDP.

So you could have a situation.

Where GDP is rising.

But because.

None of the of the rising maps of the defense but -- rising in absolute terms defected GDP is also rising means that your actual defense outlays are less than.

So I think we're serious situation now where we are in fact.

Spending less on defense than what we should.

I think OK well.

But -- still talking about a statistics because statistics you know we should get -- people can move those are and I know you're.

I cannot -- an expert on -- -- but pretty average guy when you say are you cutting -- family what do you what do you cutting are you cutting.

Salaries are -- cutting the number tanks that you -- the number of airplanes or you ultimately cutting the ability.

To do things well that's a very good point are there because because what happens in an organization like DOD which.

Like any large organization and having almost allergic reaction to two and two cuts -- right here via Scott is are you gonna look at indiscriminate cuts are you look at methodical cuts Reagan cut the fact he can cut capability or -- cut the mission where you going to cut because the reaction organization like that is to just take.

Across the board salami slice -- right in effect keep the BI everybody's -- nearly 10% you don't wanna do is affect capability if you look at a methodical approach he's taken a Smart way to reduce -- you can reduce costs.

To a point that you still sustain and maintain your operational effectiveness that's the key not to lose our operational effectiveness and our commitments.

Wherever they may be -- across the world.

We need to retain that global presence -- need to retain the ability to respond need to retain the ability.

To have a presence where.

And -- -- in some cases is not obvious that we shouldn't and maintain a presence it's that we need to make.

This significant amount of effort to.

-- expansion and extremism.

Where we remain happy again don't want.

Okay what are we doing here in -- what are we doing.

We've been there since the end of World War II Japanese -- -- -- why don't bring those troops come close those -- and use those resources elsewhere what would you say that.

I would say to you can in some respects -- look at Europe overall has it really you know calm down and in Europe -- an economic mess and who knows what's gonna happen in Europe.

Who knows where this -- you have threats and areas in Europe that are unfolding all the time.

Can you bring some of the sources back yes you can and we are looking and had been looking at reducing some of them the footprint in Europe and bring some of those three days and some of those forces back to the United States.

And with the advent of technology using technology.

To your advantage and leveraging -- where you can't we don't need to have a physical presence and the longer it probably doesn't make sense yeah.

You just okay what do and somebody says you were leaving an hour winds left Iraq we're leaving Afghanistan has about a place where you can.

Have a lot of statements on the defense budget.

In Afghanistan -- You might -- I don't know is it Smart to leave Afghanistan at this point I mean the decision has been made obviously mean the president has this has gone on record we're moving in that direction.

But I do think that there are still attendant costs that we may not be obvious to to most folks is to you know what it would take to draw down those forces from Afghanistan and -- -- them bringing -- the US reposition.

And obviously a lot of put behind.

Okay what about future threats talk about cyber that's an air for you mean you're in the air force that they you and the department of the -- for cyber something that you -- you -- of all people are gonna start looking that.

Where -- and cyber defense and cyber friends.

I think -- is a is a critical area I think -- you know you only is as strong as your weakest link and -- I think -- is or -- one area that we should.

Focus a lot of attention.

And we are I think that the air force of the time -- The issue of cyber to a point where it department looked at it overall and I think that you know they made tremendous progress.

And establishing commands.

A command to look at cyber and I think that it's an -- we -- investing heavily.

Load More