slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Olivier Knox

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s proposed cuts to the State Department and U.S. development aid would endanger American troops and make the country “less safe” from terrorism, a group of senior retired military officers are warning Congress, urging lawmakers to reject the sharp spending reductions.

“Cutting the international affairs budget unilaterally will have the effect of disarming our country’s capability to stop new conflicts from forming, and will place our interests, values and the lives of our men and women in uniform at risk,” the former commanders said in the testimony, which was obtained by Yahoo News.

The signers included retired Adm. William McRaven, who headed U.S. special operations; retired Gen. David Petraeus, who commanded U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan before becoming CIA director; retired Adm. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff; retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan; five former NATO supreme commanders; and past heads of the combatant commands in Africa and Europe.

“The severe cuts to the State Department and USAID that the administration has proposed will make America less safe, and Congress should reject them,” the group said. The testimony was to be provided on Tuesday to the Senate Armed Services Committee and other panels with jurisdiction over foreign affairs funding.

The retired officers noted that terrorist groups like ISIS, al Qaida, al-Shabab and Boko Haram have taken root in areas prone to poverty, corruption and poor governance — the kinds of things U.S. aid can often address.

The former officers in part echoed Trump’s stated priorities by endorsing expanded military spending, but they cautioned that “in the 21st century, weapons and war-fighters alone are insufficient to keep America secure.”

They argued that “kinetic activities alone cannot prevent radicalization, nor can they, by themselves, prevent despair from turning to anger and increasing outbursts of violence and instability. This has been our national experience of the last 15 years in Afghanistan, Iraq, in the Middle East and now in Africa.”

The testimony came as Congress engaged in an annual debate over government spending for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. Many lawmakers, including Republicans, have balked at Trump’s call for deep cuts to the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Trump’s budget, delivered in March, would slash the State Department and USAID spending by about 31 percent, according to some estimates.

The retired officers’ view is known to be represented inside the administration by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in March 2013, the retired Marine general warned that “if you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition, ultimately.”

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

The State Department has become so entrenched with ideologue's they have not been very useful around the world. However; who am I to argue with retired officers? I believe a massive personnel replacement may be what's needed.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Well, when you take advice about foreign affairs and military necessities from real estate salesmen and bankers, instead of from career diplomats and senior military officers, you're bound to come up with something goofy - and dangerous. While it is questionable that running the Government like a business is advisable ( or even possible ), it is a no brainer that trying to apply business models to the military and foreign services is down right stupid.

I admit that some corporate style accounting is in order for agency budgets, that's where the "business" model ends.

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, CO

I concur with your assessment of the State Department during the previous administration, as evidenced by the two Secretary's of State obama had. Pure liberal ideologue's, nothing more, nothing less. As for the retired/fired general's and admiral's opinions, that is what they are, nothing more than their opinions and will in no way change President Trump's agenda of draining the swamp, starting with the State Department!

I do find it interesting alt-left lib correspondent's like Oliver Knox and his ilk have to dig this deep to find something attempting to derail President Trump's agenda. This news story was a non-starter from the beginning, and would not have come to anyone's attention except from this topic and subsequent posts.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Non-starter, huh? Presumably, this story has the attention of our U.S. Secretary of Defense.

"The retired officers’ view is known to be represented inside the administration by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in March 2013, the retired Marine general warned that 'if you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition, ultimately.'" Also, anyone with a scintilla of knowledge would notice that none of the retired officers mentioned are possessed of an 'alt-left' ideology/philosophy, especially with regard to the military or our nation's defense.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

vernon

Humm I never heard all this smoke when Obama was absoulutely destroying our military.Now our military is on the same level as the us military in 1939.Obama is as bad as carter was to bad they didn't die in the first month of being sworn in.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Goodness, Vernon, if you never read or heard criticism of President Obama's handling of the military or state department, then you certainly must have been blind and deaf to the choruses of such criticism. I find it startling that anyone would admit to such willful denial.

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

Slatten, I believe it's where the criticism came from. Obama had a ridiculously fawning press. The MSM was all over themselves trying to kiss the butt of the first black president. Most complaints came from conservatives and the military themselves. Which is expected when we have an extreme liberal president of any color. Where I believe the left has gone off the rails is I have noticed they are eating their own if your not liberal enough. That's a whole nother thread though.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

No argument with what you post here, JFlorio. Yet the original post stated and I pointed out to JakeBrake, the retired commanders listed as complaining are not from the MSM or the left, but instead from a likely conservative viewpoint of highly respected former military leaders...and, current Secretary of State Mattis.

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

Agree. I believe Trump should take these men seriously. They have on the job experience. So far he seems to be listening to his military men. We shall see.

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, CO

Thank you for your reply to my comment. My statement 'non starter' to your topic was merely referring to the fact this hasn't been covered (to my knowledge) very much by the cable news channels or the lame stream media. I do watch CNN, FOX & my local NBC affiliate, (not the heavily partisan National CBS, NBC, CBS and especially MessNBC) and your post was news to me. If I missed it, my apologies. I have bookmarked Oliver Knox so I can stay more current.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

No apology needed, Jake. The article was the first I had heard of the retired commander's concerns regarding the state department budget.

vernon

I'm not denying what was said about obama ,but there has never been a president treated like Trump has been treated.this has gone over board and predicated on a lie.now they put this muller on as special councel.and he is hiring all big money demorats to pull some to investigation and everyone know muller and comey are blow buddies.its time to come to our senses and stop this charade.