Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen said earlier this week at a Pentagon press briefing that “programs that are behind schedule or woefully over budget should be considered for elimination” as the Defense Department and military services seek the planned $450 billion in savings over the next 10 years. However, Mullen also urged, as part of the process, recollection of program history, mentioning the Air Force C-17 and Navy DDG-51—both “in lots of trouble” in the 1990s but which are “certainly stalwarts in our defense and critical to our success.” He emphasized that finding the savings through “strategy-driven decisions” is possible, but even though “there are programs that should be eliminated, I think we just need to do the due diligence to make sure we get the right ones.” (DOD transcript)
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.