(NewsInsights.org) – Pentagon Deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh held a press conference on Tuesday, February 20, to discuss how the House’s delays in signing the Senate’s bipartisan National Security Supplemental package into law are creating an unsustainable situation for the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The delay is causing critical impacts in Ukraine’s fight against Russia and allied battles to protect international shipping interests against Houthi insurgents in Yemen and the Red Sea.
The Pentagon claimed it could not continue to operate under Continuing Resolutions because it was running out of budget allotments. It requires a new budget for fiscal year 2025, which has already been delayed by five months and three Continuing Rresolutions at this point. After the presser, Singh visited via remote video with News Nation’s “On Balance” host Leland Vittert to expand questions about US tactics against the Houthis.
Until recently, CENTCOM forces have primarily taken a defensive attitude, shooting down attack drones and missiles after the insurgents fired them at ships traversing shipping lanes in the Red Sea. However, after recent US personnel losses, Singh describe how the strategy changed and became more offensive.
Yet, in both the press conference and the “On Balance” interview, Singh faced a question about cost imbalance. The Navy has responded to Houthi attacks by firing SM-6 and other missiles, depleting stores and costing millions. Vittert pointed out that his outlet estimated the US had spent approximately $400 million on surface-to-air missiles to intercept Houthi drones. By contrast, each drone costs only $10,000 to $25,000, according to Breitbart.
Vittert commented that nobody needed a degree in economics or math to figure out “that’s good math for Iran and the Houthis, bad math for the United States.” One Pentagon correspondent even asked earlier in the presser, “Is that strategy sustainable? … trading multi-million dollar US missiles for thousand — couple thousand dollar Houthi weapons?”
In both instances, Singh answered that without the passage of a new Congressional budget or the National Security Spplemental package, CENTCOM would need to reevaluate its strategies and operational goals. She pointed out that allies and adversaries alike were watching closely to see how the US and Congress responded, including antagonists like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
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