Chairman of the Joint Chiefs at Heritage

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen speaks at Heritage Tuesday.

Even as America makes progress in Iraq and Afghanistan, lawmakers must continue to invest in the nation’s “deterrent and preventative capabilities,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said Tuesday at The Heritage Foundation.

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Mullen echoed The Heritage Foundation’s call for the United States to set a “floor” for defense spending. He said that devoting at least four percent of GDP to defense, a figure Heritage experts have also cited, would strengthen our position in dealing with potential future security risks.

Touching on Iraq, Mullen said the surge strategy has been successful, as reflected in the declining violence across the country. But we must persevere, he added: “I don’t think we can afford to have a failed state in Iraq.”

Chris Albright is an intern at The Heritage Foundation.