Military Trivia of the Week What was the Boxer Rebellion?(Click on link for answer) BRAC Funding Axed by House The House passed a continuing resolution that will fund all departments, agencies and programs whose regular fiscal 2006 appropriations bills have not been enacted through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. However, the measure only provided $2.5 billion for the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program, not the $5.6 billion requested by the Administration. The House ignored calls from senior military officials, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker and Army Secretary Francis Harvey, for lawmakers to add billions of dollars to the resolution. The leaders warned that a continuing resolution without added funds to cover necessary base closure costs and pay for military construction and quality of life programs would have dire consequences for the services. Gen. Schoomaker also reinforced his concerns in a hearing before a House committee last week. What recourse does the Army have? Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, Chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees military construction said that appropriators “will have the opportunity to address the rest of the funding requirements in the upcoming fiscal 2007 supplemental, which should be passed in the spring.” However, sources point out that it is unlikely that the military would get the entire $3.1 billion in the emergency supplemental, scheduled to go to the House floor on March 16. Since the continuing resolution now goes to the Senate for passage, the money could be added there. Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee has already said he wanted to add $3 billion for BRAC as emergency spending without offsets. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, the ranking member of the Military Construction-VA Appropriations Subcommittee said she was making it her singular focus to restore BRAC funding. She wants to offset the increase through a 1.2 percent across-the-board cut to domestic discretionary programs. “It is essential that we not delay BRAC,” she said. However, that might not be so easy. Democrats are now in charge. While they could block consideration of GOP amendments there has been no indication that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would take that approach. If the measure is amended by the Senate, it would either be sent back to the House to be cleared or would require a House-Senate conference to settle the differences between the versions. Whether the money is restored in the continuing resolution or in the fiscal 2007 emergency supplemental spending measure, time is not on the Army’s side. “There is a trail of things predicated on getting BRAC money in a timely fashion, said an Army official. There was some good news in the continuing resolution. Veterans’ healthcare received $32.3 billion, an increase of $3.6 billion above the 06 funding level (or $4.8 billion if you exclude 06 emergency spending). This will provide service for an anticipated increase of at least 325,000 patients and to meet rising healthcare costs. An increase of $1.2 billion was given to Defense health programs for a total of $21.2 billion. This will provide care for service members and their families – including treating service members wounded in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Basic Allowance for Housing received $13.4 billion, an increase of $500 million, to provide a down payment towards the funding shortfall caused by higher housing rates. Casey Expected to be Confirmed by Senate Gen. George Casey, nominated to be the Army’s 37th chief of staff, spent most of his confirmation hearing explaining to senators what he saw and learned from his previous post as commander of the Multi National Force – Iraq. Testifying this week before the Senate Armed Services Committee, he said, “The situation in Iraq is winnable.” Adding, “I’m not sugarcoating the situation in Baghdad. It’s bad.” He added his 30-month experience left him “seasoned” for his new position. “Service as Army chief of staff is not a reward. It is a duty. It’s about service, and it’s about a personal commitment to the men and women of the United States Army.” He came under the sharpest questioning from ranking member Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The questions centered around Gen. Casey’s earlier appearances before the committee during which he testified that progress was being made in training the Iraqi security forces, coalition troop levels and the possibilities of drawing down American forces in Iraq. “While I do not in any way question your honor, your patriotism, or your service to our country, I do question some of the decisions you have made,” including the emphasis placed on training and equipping Iraqis rather than waging a counterinsurgency campaign, Sen. McCain said. Adding, “We have paid a very, very heavy price in American blood and treasure because of what is now agreed to by literally everyone as a failed policy. Gen. Casey responded, “I am responsible for military aspects to this campaign and to the extent people have problems with the way that’s been conducted, then I am the one who is responsible.” Confirmation is expected despite the tough questioning. When asked whether he viewed Iraq as “maybe a slow failure,” a phrase used by President George W. Bush in announcing his plan to increase American forces by more than 21,000 soldiers and marines, Gen. Casey said, “I don’t see it as a slow failure. I see it as slow progress.” In his prepared testimony, however, he said, “This effort cannot be indefinitely sustained without increased resources and policy support” but could be sustained through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. Gen. Casey said, “The Iraqis are poised to take over their security by the end of 2007,” but “sectarian violence has greatly complicated” matters in the country. Like other recent witnesses, such as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. David Petraeus, who succeeds Casey in Iraq, he traced the escalating violence to the destruction of the Shi’ite Golden Mosque in a February bombing attack.” He said that in his December division commander’s review of the situation in Baghdad and neighboring provinces it was concluded that two more brigades of American forces would be needed to stabilize the capital. These additional soldiers would allow the Iraqis to hold the territory and begin rebuilding. It was at this time that the Iraqis came forward with their plan to add to their forces in order to better secure the capital and environs. The Iraqi plan, presented in draft form to President George W. Bush, in a meeting in Amman, Jordan, originally did not call for more American forces. “I did not want to bring one more American troop into Iraq” unless it was absolutely necessary to carry out the mission. Gen. Casey added that in the fall he did not have the full commitment of the Iraqi government to securing the capital without political interference on targets and prisoners. He said his original plan would have had a third brigade in Kuwait in reserve. Casey added that the prime minister now is “accepting those [American] forces on an as needed basis.” Gen. Casey said that the president’s plan of phasing in up to five American brigades over the next few months would give Gen. Petraeus more flexibility in Baghdad. Like Gen. Petraeus, he said that results would likely be seen in the summer. The Iraqis “must ultimately resolve this themselves” and “Iraqi security forces must be the dominant” military force in the country. “Before we go, the militias must be dealt with,” including the Mahdi army in the Sadr City section of Baghdad. He said that about 50 percent of Iraq was secure enough for an American to walk its streets. Gen. Casey said, “Political commitment [by the Iraqi government] is more important than additional troops.” He said that so far the Iraqi government has lived up to its commitment of forces and was not interfering with operations as had happened in the past with the current government and its two predecessors. “It’s not just Prime Minister [Nouri] al Maliki that needs to be pressured to live up to commitments; it also includes holding provincial elections this fall. Saying that 26,000 Iraqi security forces have been killed or severely wounded and that millions of Iraqis in Baghdad live in fear, “there has to be accountability. Thousands of Iraqis have died over the years. There has to be an accountability on that.” He added that to succeed in Iraq all parts of the U.S. government must be involved in helping Iraqi ministers stand up their agencies and continue diplomatic efforts in Iraq and the Mideast to secure the country, as well as successfully executing the military plan. “I don’t think it’s absolutely the last chance. I think it’s the best chance,” Casey said. “What we and the Iraqis are doing is hard tough business” in rebuilding the country and moving to reconcile the Sunni, Shi’ite and Kurds. He said that he has been supported by the administration in his six requests for more soldiers and marines and also in his one request to send troops home. “I would resist any type of mandated … timetable” to withdraw American forces. Military Trivia Answer The Boxer Rebellion was an uprising against Western commercial and political influence in China during the final years of the 19th century. The United States. contributed Army and Marine units to an international joint force which captured Peking and forced a Chinese capitulation. By August 1900, over 230 foreigners, thousands of Chinese Christians and unknown numbers of rebels, their sympathizers and other Chinese had been killed in the revolt and its suppression. -Back to Top-
The Boxer Rebellion was an uprising against Western commercial and political influence in China during the final years of the 19th century. The United States. contributed Army and Marine units to an international joint force which captured Peking and forced a Chinese capitulation. By August 1900, over 230 foreigners, thousands of Chinese Christians and unknown numbers of rebels, their sympathizers and other Chinese had been killed in the revolt and its suppression.
-Back to Top-