Gen. Water-Carrier

THE general’s words sounded ominous. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee in late October, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Henry H. Shelton warned of dire consequences for the Pentagon if Republicans went ahead with their proposed 1 percent across-the-board cut in federal spending. “This would strip away the gains that we have made,” Shelton testified. The proposed cut, he concluded, would be “devastating” to the nation’s military.

Shelton’s testimony landed smack in the middle of the budget war raging on Capitol Hill, and his words quickly found a place in Democratic talking points. The next day, Senate minority leader Tom Daschle cited the general while bashing GOP budget plans. “We hope our Republican colleagues hear General Shelton,” Daschle told reporters. “We hope our Republican colleagues hear those who cry out for better understanding about the devastating consequences of the mindless approach Republicans are using today.”

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Byron York

Byron York is a former White House correspondent for National Review.

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THE general’s words sounded ominous. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee in late October, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Henry H. Shelton warned of dire consequences for the Pentagon if Republicans went ahead with their proposed 1 percent across-the-board cut in federal spending. “This would strip away the gains that we have made,” Shelton testified. The proposed cut, he concluded, would be “devastating” to the nation’s military.

Shelton’s testimony landed smack in the middle of the budget war raging on Capitol Hill, and his words quickly found a place in Democratic talking points. The next day, Senate minority leader Tom Daschle cited the general while bashing GOP budget plans. “We hope our Republican colleagues hear General Shelton,” Daschle told reporters. “We hope our Republican colleagues hear those who cry out for better understanding about the devastating consequences of the mindless approach Republicans are using today.”