General Discussion

G_j

(40,367 posts) Wed Oct 2, 2013, 04:22 PM Oct 2013

Intelligence Chiefs: Shutdown Threatening National Security/ General: hurting U.S. army

http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/BL-WB-40873

October 2, 2013 12:33 PM

Intelligence Chiefs: Shutdown Threatening National Security

By Siobhan Gorman
Updated with comment from Jay Carney.

WASHINGTON — Leaders of the U.S. intelligence community said the government shutdown creates opportunities for U.S. enemies and is compromising American national security.

The comments at a Senate hearing — by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander — injected a potent new argument into the shutdown debate, which both parties seized on.
Lawmakers passed a bill, signed by President Barack Obama, to exempt the U.S. military from payless paydays as they stay on the job to defend the country.
However, more than 70% of civilian employees of U.S. intelligence agencies have been furloughed under federal guidelines.
“I’ve been in the intelligence business for about 50 years. I’d never seen anything like this,” said Mr. Clapper. “This seriously damages our ability to protect the safety and security of this nation and its citizens.”

-----

General: Shutdown Hurting U.S. Army
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE9910QQ20131002?irpc=932

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The U.S. Army's chief of staff said on Wednesday the government shutdown was significantly harming the army's day-to-day operations and he urged a rapid resolution to the funding row.

General Ray Odierno said the shutdown "impacts significantly day-to-day operations", forcing the military to cut training and travel and to focus on essential tasks.

"The longer it goes on, the worse it gets. Every day that goes by, we are losing manpower, we are losing capability, so in my mind it is important we get this resolved," he told Reuters in a telephone interview from Germany, where he was attending a conference.

..more..