[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E438-E439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  MILITARY LEADERS' LETTER TO CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 22, 2010

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to submit this letter signed 
by 48 retired four- and three-star generals/flag officers urging 
Congress to support the President's FY11 International Affairs Budget 
request--given its importance to U.S. national security. These military 
leaders state that ``balancing our military power with the range of 
International Affairs programs funded by the International Affairs 
Budget is critical to stabilizing fragile states, combating terrorism, 
and deterring

[[Page E439]]

threats before they reach America's shores.'' I couldn't agree more, 
and appreciate the hard work that these signatories and the U.S. Global 
Leadership Coalition have done to support our international affairs 
budget.

                                                   March 10, 2010.
       Dear Member of Congress: As retired officers of the U.S. 
     military across all branches of the armed services, we are 
     writing to express our support for the President's FY 2011 
     International Affairs Budget request, a fundamental pillar of 
     U.S. national security and foreign policy. The critical 
     programs in the International Affairs Budget invest in the 
     non-military tools of development and diplomacy, foster 
     economic and political stability on a global scale, 
     strengthen our allies, and fight the spread of poverty, 
     disease, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
       Continuing the bipartisan precedent set by the Bush 
     Administration, the Obama Administration views the 
     International Affairs Budget as part of the national security 
     funding alongside Defense, Homeland Security, Intelligence, 
     and Veterans programs. However, the International Affairs 
     Budget remains underfunded, representing 1.4 percent of the 
     entire federal budget and less than 7 percent of our total 
     national security funding.
       Our view is shared by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who 
     has stated that ``America's civilian institutions of 
     diplomacy and development have been chronically undermanned 
     and underfunded for far too long--relative to what we 
     traditionally spend on the military, and more important, 
     relative to the responsibilities and challenges our nation 
     has around the world.'' Secretary Gates and other military 
     leaders believe, as we do, that our national security is 
     dependent not only on a strong military force but also on 
     increased investments in the full range of diplomatic, 
     development and humanitarian tools funded through the 
     International Affairs Budget.
       The United States must combine its strong military with 
     robust, effective civilian tools of international development 
     and diplomacy to secure its national interests in an era when 
     many of the challenges of the 21st century recognize no 
     borders. While our military power can provide the logistics 
     and organizational support to help those in need in times of 
     humanitarian crisis, as demonstrated by our current efforts 
     in Haiti, it can only help create the conditions necessary to 
     allow the other tools of statecraft--our diplomatic, 
     development and humanitarian programs--to effectively address 
     these issues.
       Balancing our military power with the range of 
     International Affairs programs funded by the International 
     Affairs Budget is critical to stabilizing fragile states, 
     combating terrorism, and deterring threats before they reach 
     America's shores. Therefore, we urge you to support no less 
     than the Administration's request of $58.5 billion for the 
     International Affairs Budget.
           Sincerely,
         General Michael W. Hagee, USMC (Ret.), Co-Chair, National 
           Security Advisory Council; Admiral James M. Loy, USCG 
           (Ret.), Co-Chair, National Security Advisory Council; 
           Charles S. Abbot, USN (Ret.), Deputy Commander in 
           Chief, U.S. European Command ('98-'00); General John P. 
           Abizaid, USA (Ret.), Commander, U.S. Central Command 
           ('03-'07); Admiral Frank L. Bowman, USN (Ret.), 
           Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion ('96-'04); General 
           Charles G. Boyd, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Commander in 
           Chief, U.S. European Command ('92-'95); Admiral Archie 
           R. Clemins, USN (Ret.), Commander in Chief, U.S. 
           Pacific Fleet ('96-'99); General Richard A. ``Dick'' 
           Cody, USA (Ret.), Vice Chief of Staff, United States 
           Army ('04-'08); Lieutenant General John B. Conaway, 
           USAF (Ret.), Chief, National Guard Bureau ('90-'93); 
           General Richard D. Hearney, USMC (Ret.), Assistant 
           Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps ('94-'96); General James 
           T. Hill, USA (Ret.), Commander, U.S. Southern Command 
           ('02-'04); Admiral James R. Hogg, USN (Ret.), U.S. 
           Military Representative, NATO Military Committee ('88-
           '91); General James L. Jamerson, USAF (Ret.), Deputy 
           Commander in Chief, U.S. European Command ('95-'98); 
           Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, USN (Ret.), Commander, U.S. 
           Naval Forces Europe/Commander in Chief, Allied Forces 
           Southern Europe ('01-'04); Admiral Jerome L. Johnson, 
           USN (Ret.), Vice Chief of Naval Operations ('90-'92); 
           General John P. Jumper, USAF (Ret.), Chief of Staff, 
           U.S. Air Force ('01-'05).
         Lieutenant General Jeffrey W. Oster, USMC (Ret.), Deputy 
           Administrator and Chief Operating Officer, Coalition 
           Provisional Authority, Iraq (2004); Deputy Commandant 
           for Programs and Resources, Headquarters Marine Corps 
           (ended in '98); Lieutenant General Charles P. Otstott, 
           USA (Ret.), Deputy Chairman, NATO Military Committee 
           ('90-'92); Admiral William A. Owens, USN (Ret.), Vice 
           Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff ('94-'96); Admiral 
           Joseph W. Prueher, USN (Ret.), Commander in Chief, U.S. 
           Pacific Command ('96-'99); Lieutenant General Harry D. 
           Raduege, Jr., USAF (Ret.), Director, Defense 
           Information Systems Agency ('00-'05); Manager, National 
           Communications System ('00-'03); Commander, Joint Task 
           Force for Global Network Operations ('04-'05); Vice 
           Admiral Norman W. Ray, USN (Ret.), Deputy Chairman, 
           NATO Military Committee ('92-'95); General Robert W. 
           RisCassi, USA (Ret.), Commander in Chief, United 
           Nations Command/Commander in Chief, Republic of Korea/
           U.S. Combined Forces Command ('92-'93); Lieutenant 
           General John Costello, USA (Ret.), Commanding General, 
           U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army 
           Space Command ('98-'01); Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr., 
           USN (Ret.), Commander, U.S. Strategic Command ('02-
           '04); Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, USN (Ret.), Commander, 
           U.S. Pacific Command ('02-'05); Admiral S. Robert 
           Foley, USN (Ret.), Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific 
           Fleet ('82-'85); Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, 
           Jr., USA (Ret.), President, National Defense University 
           ('77-'81); Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr., USN 
           (Ret.), Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
           ('05-'07); Vice Admiral Lee F. Gunn, USN (Ret.), 
           Inspector General, U.S. Navy ('97-'00); General Michael 
           W. Hagee, USMC (Ret.), Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps 
           ('03-'06); General Richard E. Hawley, USAF (Ret.), 
           Commander, Air Combat Command ('96-'99).
         General Paul J. Kern, USA (Ret.), Commanding General, 
           U.S. Army Materiel Command ('01-'04); General William 
           F. Kernan, USA (Ret.), Supreme Allied Commander, 
           Atlantic/Commander in Chief, U.S. Joint Forces Command 
           ('00-'02); Admiral Charles R. Larson, USN (Ret.), 
           Commander, U.S. Pacific Command ('91-'94); Vice Admiral 
           Stephen F. Loftus, USN (Ret.), Deputy Chief of Naval 
           Operations for Logistics ('90-'94); General John 
           Michael Loh, USAF (Ret.), Commander, Air Combat Command 
           ('92-'95); Admiral James M. Loy, USCG (Ret.), 
           Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard ('98-`02); General Dan 
           McNeill, USA (Ret.), Commander, International Security 
           Assistance Force in Afghanistan ('07-'08); Lieutenant 
           General Paul T. Mikolashek, USA (Ret.), The Inspector 
           General, U.S. Army/Commanding General of the Third U.S. 
           Army Forces Central Command ('00-'02); Commanding 
           General, Southern European Task Force ('98-'00); 
           Admiral Robert J. Natter, USN (Ret.), Commander in 
           Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet/Commander, Fleet Forces 
           Command ('00-'03); General Peter J. Schoomaker, USA 
           (Ret.), Chief of Staff, U.S. Army ('03-'07); General 
           Henry H. Shelton, USA (Ret.), Chairman, Joint Chiefs of 
           Staff ('97-'01); Admiral Leighton W. Smith, Jr., USN 
           (Ret.), Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/
           Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe ('94-
           '96); Admiral William D. Smith, USN (Ret.), U.S. 
           Military Representative, NATO Military Committee ('91-
           '93); General Carl W. Stiner, USA (Ret.), Commander in 
           Chief, U.S. Special Operations Command ('90-'93); 
           Admiral Carlisle A. H. Trost, USN (Ret.), Chief of 
           Naval Operations ('86-'90); General Charles F. Wald, 
           USAF (Ret.), Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command 
           ('02-'06); General Charles E. Wilhelm, USMC (Ret.), 
           Commander, U.S. Southern Command ('97-'00); General 
           Michael J. Williams, USMC (Ret.), Assistant Commandant, 
           U.S. Marine Corps ('00-'02).

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