Rumsfeld would advise veto over base-closing delay
Timing of planned return of 70,000 U.S. forces from overseas and the scheduled BRAC round "are linked together tightly," Defense secretary says.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday that he would recommend a veto if the fiscal 2005 defense authorization bill contains House-passed language that would delay the base realignment and closure round scheduled for next year.
At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on global force posture changes, Rumsfeld said the timing of the planned return of about 70,000 U.S. forces from overseas and the scheduled BRAC round "are linked together tightly."
After telling Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., he "certainly" would recommend a veto if the final agreement delays the base-closing round, Rumsfeld added: "It would be most unfortunate if there be any delay in BRAC. It would indeed delay forces being returned to the United States."
Although the administration has not said as much, it is clear that the realignment of many of the nearly 200,000 U.S. forces permanently stationed in Europe and Asia has been accelerated to reduce the number of domestic bases that would have to be closed, softening the political impact of the next base-closing round.
The House-passed authorization includes a provision that would delay the proposed base closure process by two years, but then would require action by both chambers to restart it. The Senate bill makes no changes to the BRAC process.