National Defense Panel Convenes First Meeting On The QDR

摘要

The National Defense Panel, charged by Congress with assessing the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review, convened its inaugural meeting Tuesday at the Pentagon in a closed session that included briefings from defense officials. The meeting came days after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's issuance of classified guidance for the QDR, which the Defense Department plans to use to weigh strategic risks and develop major budget-cutting options for the White House. The independent panel, led by former Defense Secretary William Perry and retired Gen. John Abizaid, a former U.S. Central Command chief, is entitled by law to review Hagel's guidance - known as the terms of reference ~ and any other materials providing substantial inputs to the QDR.