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Pentagon calls for action to stop automatic spending cuts

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    Top brass deliver stark warning to lawmakers about U.S. security

  • Duration 6:09
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So -- Pentagon's top brass now delivering a stark warning to lawmakers put the brakes on billions of dollars in spending cuts -- put America's security at risk those cuts set to take effect at the end of the current month the military leaders want congress to.

Back at the very least they want congress to the lady reductions.

I testified last August's two of the consequences of sequestration.

If it was to occur and now all of the -- shut the door.

This would be the steepest.

Biggest.

Reduction in.

In total -- getting authority for the Defense Department in history at a time when I will personally attest to the fact that it's more dangerous than it's ever been.

On a scale from one to ten.

One being the least dangerous to our country ten being the most dangerous how dangerous is sequestration in terms of the safety of this country.

Well I'll take a shot at that senator and you know from where I sit today it sure feels like -- -- and then somebody.

Some think -- around town might want to negotiate me down to an eight but it it is really sheer -- There's not a lot of journalists have their want to bring in retired navy captain Chuck Nash also Fox News military analyst -- diarrhea.

Below is the author and Fox's contributor with us as well -- -- good morning you've captured the morning when you.

And one of captain take a military standpoint -- value take the political aspect in a moment.

First on the military what would these cuts mean captain.

The way they're going to put these cuts forward if it happens.

Is it would be like coming into your family and saying.

You know what we're going to take 9%.

From you right now even though you've you've already given at the office we're gonna take some more money.

And if there's lack of flexibility so what you only gonna pay 91% of your mortgage 91% of your credit card 91%.

Instead of making the personal decisions to say you know what.

It would be nice to go to Disney World this year but we're not going and then pay a 100% of your mortgage -- 100% your credit cards so.

The way that the Pentagon budget structure needs to be seriously revamped nobody will argue that.

But going in with dynamite and blowing it up -- there's going to be more damage done in good.

-- dynamite that's your comparison to the other day we were told -- -- -- you can take one budget cycle and -- back.

The Pentagon for an entire generation and takes that long to rebuild it.

-- Odierno the general said sequestration will curtail training.

Of 80% of ground forces.

Well when you look at what's happening in North Korea yesterday when you consider the situation in Iran Egypt throughout the Middle East.

Yes but what what's happening is with this arbitrary.

Cut.

Their going to force changes to policy.

The way it should work in a rational system.

He should come up with the policy and then you -- the force structure that you need to X accused the policy this is completely arbitrary.

General Dempsey says it would be more dangerous than it's ever been with the -- deepest cuts at a time.

Like this get a -- a politically.

How -- they dig themselves out of us I don't know or do that and Andrew -- Roy Blunt the other day told us that he believes these cuts will indeed take place in the first to mark.

I think they will as well and let's remember that the GOP already tried to avoid this they put forth a bill that would prevent abuse -- from happening.

And replace it with other costs that didn't target our defense but targeted some.

Much needed think that that really -- cuts like our entitlement programs and the Democrats don't want any part of that so at this point it would really take.

Two very different ideologies coming together now -- let me also say just -- -- oppose these cots.

Doesn't mean that you opposed up reformer that you oppose limiting over stuff bureaucracy these cuts are not targeted properly in the military.

You can get rid of waste and fraud and abuse without mismanaging him without -- targeting these cuts that you harm our ability to defend -- -- In a very difficult serious dangerous time to do you believe agree rather -- her -- Is -- gonna happen.

Yeah I would say at this point it is going to happen and you have Republicans saying at this point I think we should let it happen because.

We have to elect Barack Obama know that we are are serious about outstanding our ground a lot of issues I think I think it is gonna happen and I don't think it's terribly wise.

That it's happening this way I'm all for Cox I'm all for opera ending overstuffed bureaucracy as I said that you can't just have these arbitrary cuts -- -- national securities act.

Captain do you believe it -- happen as well.

Yeah I do think it's going to happen because both sides are or are dug in and that they pulled the pin on the grenade and now we're just waiting.

-- oftentimes when you wait they figure out a resolution to to delay.

And and yeah a lot of people think that was with a whole idea behind sequestration.

The back it up past the national election count.

Yes exactly well I mean when you think about it this.

The United States government is in violation of its own federal law statute.

They haven't passed a budget over there in four years so.

You know we've been operating on continuing resolutions.

Which makes things even worse because now you can't do new start programs.

It's a mess around a lot of profiles -- -- around here.

And -- diet how does the rest of the world.

Look at this what do they say in Beijing.

Or Moscow or -- -- -- it's a sign of American weakness to the rest of the world and it was really interesting because last night in the responses to the state of the union.

You saw -- Marco Rubio and Rand Paul really emphasizing American exceptional listen.

And emphasizing that the world is a better place when America is strong -- are precisely the kinds of cots that are going to inhibit our ability.

To establish a peace through strength philosophy that strong reaganesque national security and to let the rest of the world know that we are very serious.

About protecting our forces Afghanistan's.

About potentially taking on a nuclear Iran a nuclear on North Korea.

And about addressing the fact that as we know al-Qaeda is certainly not been decimated as despite what many people -- in fifteen days and counting in the calendar a whole new world.

Quite likely in March at a diet thank you captain thanks to you as well.

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