Mar 22, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
Washington, DC - As Coalition forces launch Operation Odyssey Dawn to enforce the United Nations-approved no-fly zone over Libya, the ultimate objective of the operation has been left unclear, according to House Republican leaders.
In a recent New York Times article, Helen Cooper and David Sanger draw attention to House Speaker John Boehner and Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon’s comments that the Administration has still yet to explain what the use of military force will accomplish...
Mar 17, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
Washington, D.C. (Permalink)—America’s senior military officer in Afghanistan yesterday told the House Armed Services Committee that the passage of a resolution mandating the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan would be viewed as a “victory” by al-Qaeda and the terrorist organization’s patron, the Taliban. General Petraeus, the commander of U.S.
Mar 16, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
Washington, D.C.—In response to a question from Alabama Congresswoman Martha Roby....(click for video)
Mar 15, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
According to a new Rasmussen Poll, a majority (58%) of American say the terrorist detention facility at the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba should not be closed, while the number in favor of closure is down 15 points to its lowest level of support ever.
Mar 15, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
In an op-ed published Tuesday in The Hill newspaper, Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) drew on his experiences from a recent fact-finding trip to Afghanistan and urged Members of Congress to support General Petraeus and our troops in their efforts to consolidate significant progress into a lasting strategic victory for the United States and its Afghan allies.
Mar 9, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
President Obama took unilateral action this week to create new administrative review procedures for detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, without consulting Congress—a move that fails to comprehensively address America’s terrorist prosecution and detention policies. Armed Services Chairman Buck McKeon and members of the committee immediately put forth a more comprehensive legislative solution aimed at dealing with the issue in light of a full spectrum of national security concerns.
Mar 7, 2011
Defense Drumbeat
Washington, D.C. (March 7, 2011)—On his thirteenth visit to Afghanistan as Defense Secretary, Robert Gates voiced support for a long-term commitment to the American mission in Afghanistan. As reported by the Washington Post, Gates told soldiers at U.S. and NATO headquarters, “Obviously it would be a small fraction of the presence that we have today, but I think we’re willing to do that…My sense is [Afghan officials] are interested in having us do that.” He also noted negotiations with the Afghan government for a security partnership extending into the future.
Dec 27, 2010
Defense Drumbeat
On December 21, incoming Chairman Buck McKeon issued a statement announcing the chairmen of the Armed Services subcommittees for the 112th Congress.
Compiled of experienced lawmakers, McKeon indicated that his new leadership team will allow the Armed Services Committee to hit the ground running when the gavel opens the 112th Congress.
Dec 21, 2010
Defense Drumbeat
Washington, D.C. (October 6, 2010)—The leaders of three conservative public policy groups recently penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal arguing that defense spending is not the cause for the nation’s soaring deficits and is not “an appropriate target for indiscriminate budget-slashing in a still-dangerous world.” Instead, they argue that the government’s investment in defense, which only accounts for 4.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, is not “an appropriate target for indiscriminate budget-slashing in a still-dangerous world.”