The U.S. armed services, widely recognized as the world’s most ready and mobile military, is painting a picture of itself as a stagnant force trapped at home under automatic spending cuts just three weeks away/.../
If sequestration were to occur briefly before politicians finally reach a deal that kills it, the damage to military training and forces would be minimal. But if it were to remain in place for several years, the smaller military budgets would squeeze out ships, planes and troops.
“What it would mean is a smaller military,” said Todd Harrison, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment. “It would be a military that would not be able to do all the missions it is supposed to be able to do today. That’s the bottom line.”