WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Harold Brown, under increasing criticism about the combat status of the U.S. military, today insisted, 'Our readiness and capability is clearly better than it has been for a number of years.'
Brown's assessment was immediately challenged as 'misleading' by Donald Rumsfield, defense secretary in the Ford administration.
Both men were interviewed separately on the NBC-TV's 'Today' program.
Rumsfeld agreed with Brown thateach year U.S. absolute defense improves, but said:
'The fact is the Soviets are spending $50 billion a year more than we are. It is misleading to say, as he did, that the United States readiness and capability is better than it has been in many years.'
Brown was asked about recent congressional testimony by a several high ranking officers that the U.S. Army is 'hollow' and American general forces are insufficiently combat ready.
'There is no inconsistency between what I've been saying and what the responsible military officers have been saying,' Brown replied.
'They are referring to status reports which indicate there are deficiences so that we can apply resources in order to cure those deficiencies,' he said. 'I've been talking about combat capability overall which includes readiness, includes the quality and number of units and our weapons, includes our ability to keep fighting. That is clearly better than it has been.'
Brown rejected a suggestion his top military were at odds with him and undermining his efforts.
'They are looking at a different question and I would think if you asked the question, 'Are we ready to fight, are we capable of fighting,' they would give the same answer that I did.'
Rumsfield, touted as a possible defense secretary if Ronald Reagan is elected president, said President Carter's defense policies have allowed the nation 'to slip into a position of vulnerability.'
'After cuttting (the defense budget) for two years, they have started to talk about increasing it,' he said. 'Now suddenly, in the midst of the campaign, he is trying to rewrite history.'
Brown was also asked if he plans to 'talk to' Maj. Gen. James Johnson about an internal memo leaked last week that said Brown was ordering staff to stress 'the positive factors of our readiness' and delay sending readiness reports to Congress.
'He's aware of the facts now,' Brown said of Johnson.