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Levin To Analyze War Policy

There are other matters before Congress besides battles over the federal debt. The Senate Armed Services Committee – chaired by Michigan’s senior U.S. Senator – holds a hearing this week on the nation’s strategy in Afghanistan. But again, costs are one of the main considerations. The committee is scheduled to question the vice chair of the Joint Chiefs, the deputy secretary of defense and even retired general Wesley Clark about the future role of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The hearing comes at a time when both Republicans and Democrats agree billions of dollars spent on the military can be significantly cut over the next decade. Senate Majority Leader harry Reid has a plan to cap spending on defense, intelligence and veterans at about $600 billion for the next two years and forecasts about $1 trillion in savings from drawing down troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Michigan Democrat Carl Levin, says he supports that plan even though he calls the cuts a – quote – “aggressive number.” Levin had long pushed for an even larger reduction in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan than was recently announced by the President.