Petraeus’s Testimony Gets me Thinking About Pentagon Spending

As we watch General David Petraeus testify before Congress it’s time for us to address our nation’s Pentagon-related spending. I know that even bringing up the Pentagon’s budget—especially when America is at war—is the most taboo subject in politics. But the reality of our nation’s bleak financial situation is that all of our major expenses—including defense spending must be examined.

It’s true that we need to consider how much we’re going to spend on entitlement programs in the future and that we may need to consider tax increases, but until we have an accounting of where the Pentagon is spending money we are not going to be able to balance our budget.

There is no question that our nation’s defense is the most important thing we can spend money on, but that doesn’t mean that questioning how the Pentagon spends its portion of our tax dollars is unpatriotic. If it’s necessary—and it is—for us to consider how much money we’re spending on programs for our seniors or on educating our children, isn’t it also necessary to ask how the money that is allocated for the purpose of keeping us safe is being spent? Is it really American to just assume that the Pentagon is managing its finances in the most appropriate way?

Americans are right to blame the Bush administration and Congress for their lack of oversight regarding the war effort itself, but no one seems to mind our leaders unwillingness to ask where the Pentagon is spending the roughly 12 billion dollars it’s currently spending in Iraq and Afghanistan every month; never mind all of the no bid defense contracts and other military projects that might otherwise be considered pork.

Feel free to share your feedback with me.

Tags: David Petraeus, Petraeus