David Adesnik, writing for the Foreign Policy Initiative:
Now that Republicans have an opportunity to lead both chambers of Congress, where should they look to make their mark? Start with the defense budget, which currently faces $1 trillion in cuts at a time when the United States confronts growing threats across the globe. Congress should act swiftly to reverse these cuts, address immediate shortfalls in military resources, and lay the foundation for a comprehensive rebuilding program. This program has the advantage that it should a bipartisan imperative. It was, after all, called for by the bipartisan, congressionally chartered National Defense Panel (NDP). As the NDP noted, increased defense spending will be necessary to execute the Obama administration’s own defense strategy laid out earlier this year: “[U]nder current circumstances, the Department cannot be expected even to carry out its missions effectively.” The NDP’s crucial recommendation is that Congress and the President should “repeal the Budget Control Act (BCA) immediately.” This means ending sequestration and revoking the BCA’s arbitrary limits on defense spending. As the NDP explains, the country’s strategy should determine what it spends, not vice versa. Already, the “sequester has precipitated an immediate readiness crisis,” which means that our ships, planes and ground units do not have the equipment and trained personnel necessary to carry out their missions. If this crisis continues unabated, it “will lead to a hollow force.”
Whole thing here.