Senator Webb: "As a Boy Scout, I can assure Casey that we are not terrorists."

The most memorable part of this evening was the repartee between Casey and Senator Webb. Webb further clarified his statements in an interview:

"I wish in my next interactions with General Casey that he would not misconstrue my meanings, and that as a boy scout I can assure him that we were not terrorists. Were he a man more interested in theory, it would have been a much more interesting conversation."

General Casey could not be reached for comment, though we welcome the ability to get his side of the story.

General Casey, Part 3: Energy Showdown

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has been debating General Casey for nearly nine minutes about the role of the US military in reducing energy consumption in the country. As the Senator pointed out, the defense industry generates the most greenhouse gases in the country.

When asked by Sen. Bingaman about net-zero energy consumption, Casey proved adept at responding to the concern of greenhouse gases, pointing out that the issue is about the United States government as a whole. "It affects the world equally, no matter where it's released. The question is about overall practices rather than where the energy comes from."

"Don't you think that possible energy shocks can destabilize our economy and more importantly our national security?" Bingaman countered, framing the issue as a matter of national security.

Casey responded that the "massive energy cocktail" that the military draws its energy from within the nation does not leave the US vulnerable to foreign influence.

General Casey, Part 2--Arianna Huffington

What started out as a broad-reaching hearing over the state of today's military soon focused sharply on the issue of military detainees. Gen. Casey of the Joint Chiefs of Staff defended the current stance on maintaining military tribunals instead of turning these detainees over to civilian judges, as President Obama advocated for in his State of the Union address.

"Many of us in the Armed Services sympathize with the President's goals to close Guantanamo," he stated, but added that "in terms of national security, I don't think that moving people will resolve anything in the short term."

He also addressed the SHEEN Act, which advocates energy efficiency in the military, stressing that he was concerned that "we wouldn't be able to afford it."

Answering a question from Sen. Chambliss (R-GA) about the supply chain which would allow the military to afford these advanced technologies, Casey explained the logistical difficulty of keeping track of technology with multiple functionalities. "Having one more distinction to keep track of," he stated, "really only adds to the operational burdens in an already challenging environment."

Ultimately, the debate over transforming the military into a peacekeeping force for the 21st century hinges on the overall cost of these military reforms.

General Casey, Part 1

Speaking on a broad range of topics from Guantanamo to the creation of a 21st century peacekeeping force, General George Casey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered a approach to national security grounded in realism and war hawkishness.

The Democrats engaged him in intense debate, while the Republicans largely sat silent. A notable exchange arose between Casey and Sen. Webb (D-VA), who asked him whether the Boy Scouts of America were likely to be classified as terrorists under Casey's definition.

Meanwhile, the Simulation Gods were caught chortling to themselves over some Youtube videos. That must be one funny cat on a skateboard.

Comprehensive coverage of this hearing will follow after the break.