General Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made his first major commentary Friday on the Pentagon budget battle, warning against a return to the post- Vietnam and World War II reductions. He said, "I have been reminded time and again" this is still a dangerous world and you'd better be ready to respond if someone challenges your interests. ``So even as we reduce, we must maintain our ability to deter and defend,'' Powell said he was "appalled" by what he called "a reckless attempt at sequestration" that would result in cuts for military personnel but not other government programs.
General Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made his first major commentary Friday on the Pentagon budget battle, warning against a return to the post- Vietnam and World War II reductions. He said, "I have been reminded time and again" this is still a dangerous world and you'd better be ready to respond if someone challenges your interests. Powell said he was "appalled" by what he called "a reckless attempt at sequestration" that would result in cuts for military personnel but not other government programs.