Re: “Hagel gives Obama cover for military cutbacks” (David Brooks column, 1-9).

Brooks laments the possibility of America exchanging military might for Obamacare costs if Chuck Hagel becomes the next secretary of defense. Is it the case, however, as Brooks assumes, that all military budget cuts would transform automatically into increased health care costs?

I’d rather see both military and health care spending controlled. But even if Brooks were right, at least instead of lavishing money on weapons designed to kill people, we would be spending it on health care and healing.

The Wall Street Journal just published results …

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Re: “Obama to shake up security positions” (TNT, 4-28).

Military families will be watching closely to see if soon-to-be Defense Secretary Leon Panetta can defend critical troop equipment from growing congressional demands for deep Pentagon budget cuts. Everyone supports cutting waste, but the wrong cuts could endanger our troops deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Yet the House Armed Services Committee last year voted to cut funding for the Army’s Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) program, which would provide soldiers with the mobile, secure wireless network and portable ground reconnaissance robot capable of delivering and distributing the …

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A quick read of President Obama’s latest budget proposal shows why spending is hopelessly out of control. Among other things, the administration proposes $11.8 billion in new budget authority for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

According to the budget, “The overall investment (in NNSA) includes $7.6 billion for Weapons Activities, an increase of $1.2 billion over 2010.”

I hadn’t heard of the National Nuclear Security Administration before, so maybe a lot of Americans are unaware of this $12 billion agency. It’s part of the Department of Energy, not the Department of Defense, although it apparently handles nuclear bombs.

I’m not …

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