Retired High-ranking Admiral and General: To Accept the FY2018 Budget Proposal is a Mistake
In a recent Politico article, retired Admiral Mike Mullen and retired General James Jones make a case for global engagement and international aid, urging Congress not to accept the Trump administration’s proposed FY2018 budget, specifically the 32% cut to the Department of State and USAID accounts. They warn:
“This is exactly the wrong decision at a time when development efforts in the world’s poorest and most fragile countries are needed more than ever. In turn, these severe cuts to USAID would only increase the risk to Americans and to our brave military service members. Congress should reject this dangerous path.”
Mullen and Jones claim that while the goal to strengthen national security is commendable, military action is not necessarily the best course to take in all situations. Helping states develop and promoting good relations is another critical method of ensuring national security. They discourage people to think of development assistance as just charity, but rather to consider it as another effective tool for the United States to use:
“American security is advanced by the development of stable nations that are making progress on social development, economic growth and good governance”.
Jones and Mullen further suggest that:
“Congress can, and should, make America safer with a robust and strategic Phase Zero initiative that engages the U.S. government, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to synergistically prevent conflict and promote security, development, and governance rooted in the rule of law. Such an initiative — accompanied by other targeted reforms to our foreign assistance programs — would fill a dangerous vacuum that military intervention alone simply cannot address. Proactive conflict-prevention strategies are far less expensive in terms of resources and lives expended than reactive use of our Armed Forces.”
Jones and Mullen, together with 14 other high-ranking military officials, also submitted testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in support of protecting the State-Foreign Operations (SFOPS) budget.Their Politico article and congressional testimony were referenced by Members of Congress during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing and a House SFOPS Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on June 14. Both hearings featured Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as a witness, who reviewed the administration’s FY2018 budget proposal for the Department of State
