Dempsey Lashes Out at Sequestration

Sequestration and the severe budget constraints brought on by the Budget Control Act of 2011 are wreaking havoc on the Defense Department’s ability to handle contingencies the nation now faces, the nation’s top military leader said in a Jan. 22 interview. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey cited significant changes that have occurred since the cuts took place, which seriously threaten global security. Dempsey specifically cited the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), Russian aggression against Ukraine, the emergence of Kim Jong Un in North Korea, and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. “The combination of the Budget Control Act and the sequestration mechanism will make it impossible for us to meet our global responsibilities,” Dempsey said. “The readiness hole is still the readiness hole. The global security environment is more dangerous and sequestration is still on the books as the law. It’s absolutely crazy for this country,” he said.