Rumsfeld admits armed services may have to grow

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday that the size of the military might have to expand if efforts to better manage the existing force do not succeed.

"If we need to increase the size of the force, we need to increase the size of the force, and I'm all for it," Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing Thursday. "[But] it would pain me to do it when we have so many portions of the force that aren't being properly used, and I'd much prefer to see us do that."

Committee members questioned whether the military is adequately sized to handle existing requirements, especially in Iraq, and respond to new crises.

"It's clear, at least to most observers, that we don't have sufficient personnel, despite the efficiencies which you have so well and graphically described," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The military has about 2.5 million personnel total, of which 250,000 are deployed to Central Command, which has authority over U.S. operations in Iraq. Rumsfeld said the Pentagon has up to 40 management initiatives under way to improve efficiencies and relieve stress. For example, the Army is currently increasing its force by 30,000 soldiers under emergency powers granted by President Bush.

"There are uncertainties as to how far down that rain barrel we can get that spigot," Rumsfeld said. "But if we can't get it far enough, because we just can't manage better, then … we'll have to go to an increase in end strength."

Rumsfeld denied speculation that the administration might try to reinstate the draft.

"I'm not supposed to get into politics, but it is absolutely false that anyone in this administration is considering reinstating the draft. That is nonsense," he said. "We've got 295 million people in the United States of America. We need 1.4 million people to serve in the active force. We are having no trouble attracting and retaining the people we need.

The Pentagon does, however, plan to call up more National Guard and Reserve forces after the November general elections, said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers.

"This is a process that has been consistent now for about the last year," Myers said. "There will be some in October. There will be some in November. So, yes, it will continue on as we continue to feed forces to the combatant commanders to do what they need to do."

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said the military might be "running off a cliff." He cited a Defense Science Board study that concluded the military has an inadequate number of U.S. troops. The report was completed during the summer and remains classified.

"Mr. Secretary, we've had these discussions for probably two years now," Reed said. "It's becoming increasingly clear to me that your response is simply avoiding the obvious. If we're in a long-term commitment in Iraq and other places, if we have to be prepared to react to North Korea and Iran, we can't live supplemental to supplemental."

Rumsfeld said the study "was a good one," and recommended it be briefed to the chiefs of staff and combatant commanders.

In response to Reed's questions, Myers said numbers of troops and equipment do not necessarily equate to capability.

"We're trying to build capability," he said. "As we talk about numbers, as we talk about this and that, we've got to remember we're talking capability."