The U.S. military, which has seen its budget grow dramatically over the last decade, now faces widespread calls for less waste and greater efficiency. On Sunday Defense Secretary Robert Gates drove home that message, saying that he was confident President Obama would veto legislation that included funding for an alternative jet engine or C-17 cargo planes that the administration does not consider necessary.

Many Americans assume that belt-tightening in the national security budget would mean weaker defense capabilities. But many defense experts argue that tighter budget restraints could actually improve how the Pentagon operates. 

This idea came across loud and clear at a recent conference at the Naval War College, according to Diane Lim Rogers, Concord’s chief economist. She said that almost everyone at the conference seemed to recognize that tighter defense budgets were inevitable, given the nation’s fiscal problems.

But in a blog post today, Rogers said she was surprised to hear how many conference participants – including those in uniform -- said this could have a positive effect by forcing defense policymakers to better plan and prioritize: “Instead of just trying everything, they would need to put scarce dollars where they would have the most benefit.” 

Fear of being called “soft on defense” leads many elected officials to ignore their responsibility to give the defense budget the same scrutiny that they give to domestic spending. These politicians need a push from the public to ensure that tax dollars are well spent at the Pentagon.