Mullen: National Debt Is ‘Top’ National Security Threat
Insists Economy Must Grow to Support More Military Spending
Speaking today in Detroit, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen took on the rare task of declaring what he believed was the “top” threat to America’s national security going forward. It wasn’t Iran, it wasn’t North Korea, it wasn’t even some ill-defined group of factions called “terrorism.” It was the national debt.
“The most significant threat to our national security is the debt,” Mullen insisted, adding that it is “so important that the economy move in the right direction” to pay for more military spending going forward.
“The resources that our military uses are directly related to the health of our economy,” Mullen warned. When lamenting that the US taxpayers will pay $600 billion in interest on the debt in 2012, Mullen noted “that’s one year worth of defense budget.”
Mullen’s visit was primarily aimed at pressing arms manufacturers to hire more veterans, adding that it was “patriotic” to integrate soldiers into the local work force and insisting that industry and military leaders share the same goals. He added that military funds to buy more weapons to arm more soldiers would be leveraged “as much as possible” to companies to hire veterans.
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JDonald
August 27th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Why did this pronouncement have to come from the military? Bernake should be the one who informs the USA that they are going bankrupt and that if they continue with their current level of military spending, the country is doomed. And the neocons are pushing for another war with Iran. Go figure.
Naldo
August 27th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
I remember how the hawks credited Reagan with the strategy that forced the Soviet Union into spending themselves bankrupt with their "keep up with America" defense budgets.
Have Americans gotten that much stupider in such a short time that they don't realize they're now doing likewise to themselves?
Then, further down the page, some military dimbulb decries the fact that having to fight those pesky wars is sapping his ability to ferret out WMD. What does he imagine the mission of the military is?
MoT
August 27th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Admiral… I have an even better solution to our budget demise. Shutter the military bases overseas completely, send all the contractors home, demobilize most everyone, including the Pentagon, and put an end to your aircraft carrier dominant Navy and see how quickly that budget deficit declines. More like diving off a cliff. And we'd all be the better for it.
Druthers
August 27th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
One would think the military is moving in for the kill. Since when does the economy come under the control of the Pentagon; it would be quite some time now. Mullen is dictating conditions to industry, to Congress and to us who pay for all his toys.
Remember South America – the coups. Here they come in to "protect" us.
Lloyd
August 28th, 2010 at 1:12 am
The last country that invaded Afghanistan was defeated by its own debt.
june8642
August 28th, 2010 at 1:24 am
So Mullen is just now learning what has been the strategy of Bin Laden. With all the billions of tax dollars the Pentagon has spent for intelligence, surely there were some personnel astute enough to foresee the consequences of going to war in Iraq with its divisive ethnic groups and continuing a war with a "rag tag" group in a country that was technically destroyed before the US began to bomb it. The United
States is following a blatant means for its own destruction — continue the "war on terrorism" and by all means attack Iran to please Israel.
bogi666
August 28th, 2010 at 3:22 am
Mullen's nonsense is hubris, arrogance, disdain for the American taxpayers is absurd and unfortunately verifies that the USG is a military dictatorship. The reason for the debt IS MILITARY SPENDING. Spoken like a true military dictator Mullen and for letting the cat out of the bag that the USG is a military dictatorship now without pretense.
drosera
August 28th, 2010 at 5:02 am
The military is a parasite on society. It only consumes and produces nothing of value. It enriches a segment of American society at the expense of everyone else. Wonder why those military folks who always vote Republican complain about "big government"? They are the ones that are receiving the largess–as opposed to young people, the poor, the uneducated, the jobless. One good thing about the collapsed economy: there won't be so much money for Mullen to divvy up among his generals and their corporate allies.
Ira7Epstein
August 28th, 2010 at 5:23 am
Is Mullen so dull that he cannot see the connection between the massive size of money the USG spends on the military and budget deficits, or is he just blinded by his own self interest? The massive amount of military spending of the USG, the budget deficit, the interventionist foriegn policy ot the USG and its empire of bases, and slow to negative economic economic growth are all inextricably linked.
skulz fontaine
August 28th, 2010 at 6:22 am
Wow, that's a spiffy web site. Where Mr. Jason reports on the article by Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden. Defense.gov. Wow and go figure. The military sure spent a pretty penny on an ultra deluxe web site. They sure did. I'm gonna bookmark that puppy so's I can keep current on the "military's concerns." Oh yeah.
"Good fiscal stewardship…" At the Pentagon? "American taxpayers are going to pay an estimated $600 billion in interest on the national debt in 2012…" Golly, that's $600 billion dollars that Adm. Mikey ain't gots for, you know, war and drone bombing Afghan/Pakistani civilians.
Times are tough Admiral, they certainly are.
chupatela
August 28th, 2010 at 6:31 am
The reason why the us economy has gone down the toilet is because of wacko, loopy madmen like Mullen. In effect, the pentagon has become the parallel de facto gov. in the us.
It dominates , runs roughshod over a limp Obama adm.
After all, eisenhower warned you long ago…did you listen?…What a SHAME that the means of violence, terror and destruction have become the MAIN JOBS PROGRAM in the us.
You should all be ashamed with your inaction, indifference and cowardness.
Land of the free,…home of the brave?????
John Ellis
August 28th, 2010 at 6:35 am
To protect our corporations as they plunder the world of it’s natural resources and cheep labor, surely the sole purpose of our military. Therefore, not one penny more of public money to the military, let corporations pay for the protection they need directly to the military.
V for Vendetta
August 28th, 2010 at 6:35 am
"“The most significant threat to our national security it [sic} the debt,” Mullen insisted, adding that it is “so important that the economy move in the right direction” to pay for more military spending going forward.""
Well, it is so nice that Admiral Mullen acknowledges that it is the national debt that is bankrupting the Federal government and the American people. Now, will he also acknowledge that it is massive and insane military and intelligence spending over the last several decades that is the primary cause for the explosion in the national debt? Don't hold your breath until he does.
janeblakenship
August 28th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Well that is a good idea to take. hopefully it will came to the real state.
Jane
vito
August 28th, 2010 at 7:31 am
These wars are a threat to the economy. How is it the brilliant Admiral cannot see this?
vito
August 28th, 2010 at 7:36 am
The Pentagon is also a drain on the economy. The Pentagon is not very different than the Mossad as it branches out into civilian sector unrestrained with powers that not even the FBI has. It is a runaway freight train with too much power. As it grows in power we could be seeing martial law here. And we ain't gonna like it.
Watch out for these guys like Mullen.
andy
August 28th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Now America is bankrupting itself.
andy
August 28th, 2010 at 8:10 am
He is saying the right thing for the wrong reason. Actually it is the insane military spending that is a real albatross around the neck of the American economy.
Sketch
August 28th, 2010 at 8:17 am
I'm as cynical as the next guy, but Mullen's comments were so outrageous they had me spitting coffee all over my monitor screen. Aren't these kinds of speeches vetted? I mean, wasn't there someone with half a brain who might have pointed out that the Pentagon's Bush-era spending spree, quadrupled the national debt in less than six years? Maybe he (or she) could have informed Mullen that people might not take too kindly to his sanctimonious finger-wagging when the Pentagon STILL has billions in Iraq war funds that have yet to be accounted for. And if debt is such a threat to security, why did the Pentagon sign off on borrowing trillions from China to underwrite the Iraq war? Shouldn't they have pointed out the whole "nuclear option" that China now wields?
It's bad enough that the guy shamelessly omitted the Pentagon's role in supersizing the national debt. What really gets me is the premise that the nation needs to get its fiscal house in order and the economy running smoothly — to pay for bigger defense budgets!
And people ask why America is in decline.
M Hoffman
August 28th, 2010 at 8:21 am
Put on a uniform or a suit and the news media prints anything you say. So, Admiral Mullen, we need a better economy to support our military adventures and "homeland security". We would be better off if we have a depression and must return home from our murderous "wars." There are no heroes in uniform in the U.S. There were no heroes in Nazi Germany. All of these military men are nothing but the usual clowns dressed in childish play uniforms and carrying lethal weapons. You kill me. I kill you. Great game if you want killed.
Druthers
August 28th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Yes, indeed, the times are tough! And they are toughest for the weakest among us.who are left as the wandering poor.
Wolfgang9
August 28th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Wow, where are the good times gone? Those templars were fighting for god, the king and honor! Now its the money what's of most concern? Looks like we have problem:-)
gary
August 28th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
sad commentary on the intelligence of our military leadership…after spending billions the "greatest military machine in history" is fought to a standstill by a few thousand "ragheads"…the military soloution…spend more billions…reminds me of that crazy general in "full metal jacket"..".we have to keep our shit together untill this peace craze blows over".
vito
August 28th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Mullen should not be talking economy..he should just stick to killing.
beeboltwu
August 28th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
I smell something from his speach. I think the military are ready to overthrow the civilian government.
Ike Hall
August 28th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Precisely. In fact, the best one can hope for by funding the design and construction of any military weapon is that it won't be used.
Bianca
August 28th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Most people have known this for a long time. Most financial analysts world over have been talking about it for at least four years. But it is shocking to hear it from the biggest spender of them all.
bogi666
August 29th, 2010 at 5:37 am
A Yiddish proverb "choose your enemies well because you will become just like them" another by Desmond Tutu "we must not become like those we oppose" these explain the reasons why the USG is conducting itself down a failed strategy which.
bogi666
August 29th, 2010 at 5:43 am
It is the budget deficit that funds the Pentagon just FOLLOW THE MONEY, 400 lobbyists in 1980, 45,000 today all creating and chasing the deficit $'s. It was Reagan who initiated the huge deficits while simultaneously increasing the Pentagons/spy agencies budgets.
jaczar
August 29th, 2010 at 5:45 am
Please! Let’s stop calling it a “defense” budget. It’s a WAR budget plain and simple. Our greatest threat to the nation is military spending. It cuts really necessary programs like education, infrastructure, state aid, etc., etc. It produces fear and hatred in many countries around the world. It causes blowback against us for interfering in the lives of millions of people and many sovereign nations as well. The anger and hatred generated causes others to retaliate against us, producing the need for more arms and armies and “intelligence” in an already bloated government.
bogi666
August 29th, 2010 at 5:48 am
The purpose of the Pentagon is to protect the assets of the PREDATORY CAPITALIST WELFARE KINGS worldwide, many of whom[persons SCOTUS] LOCATE OUTSIDE THE U.S. and pay no USG taxes but get the benefits of individual American tax monies. EXXON $45 billion in profits, no U.S. taxes and still accorded world wide protection by the Pentagons/spy agencies
bogi666
August 29th, 2010 at 5:55 am
That's the plan create our enemies, like OBL to ensure job security for the Pentagonites like Mullen not to mention career advancement for the officer corp who don't hesitate to sacrifice American troops for the sake of their advancement.
V for Vendetta
August 29th, 2010 at 6:41 am
What the politicians, who are on the take from the military-industrial establishment, and the Pentagon doesn't want the American people to know: that military and intelligence spending could easily be cut by 80% and there would still be plenty of money left over to provide for an adequate DEFENSE of the nation and meet our responsibilities to our veterans.
jack toads
August 29th, 2010 at 10:47 am
state of empire,,,breath in breath out and exhale, next
vito
August 29th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Mullen is looking for another campaign ribbon on his coat. If martial law comes here, and guys like Mullen shoot us down, what would the campaign ribbon look like?
These Pentagon guys are arrogant as hell…that should give all of us insight …they think THEY are the Americans and we, the civilians, are the low life. George Washington is spinning in his grave.
Tell ItLikeItIs
August 29th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
I know how to get rid of the debt completely!!
GET RID OF 75% OF ALL MILITARY SPENDING!!!!
Maid Marian
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:07 am
That's easy. Because Bernanke does not (cannot) tell the truth.