Defense Budget

You win some:

After a rancorous argument over missile defense, Democrats on theHouse Armed Services Committee voted June 16 to limit the number ofmissile interceptor silos in Alaska to 30, scrapping 14 more that wereplanned when Republicans controlled Congress and the White House.

Then they voted not to increase spending on the years-late, billions-over-budget airborne laser.

Or to spend $400 million on a missile defense site in Europe.

You lose some:

After more than 16 hours of squabbling over the 2010 defense budget,weary committee members voted 31-30 at 2:30 a.m. to keep the F-22program alive by making a $369 million down payment on 12 more planes.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had intended to end F-22 production at 187 fighters, but House lawmakers overruled him.

Time for a congressional COIN doctrine.

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