Congress is getting cold feet about knocking the Pentagon's budget back to 2006 levels. You read that right, 2006 levels, when times were no doubt quite good for a Pentagon and defense industry supporting two wars abroad. But to not slow the growth of the Pentagon after wars end would be an historical first for the U.S. since World War II. This chart says it all: 

Mitt Romney addressed an American Legion conference today in Indianapolis where he took another opportunity to swipe at President Obama about coming Pentagon budget cuts via sequestration. The cuts would bring Pentagon spending to 2006 levels.

War Costs has pointed out before the moaning, groaning and outright deception coming from defense industry titans like Lockheed Martin -- and their defenders on Capitol Hill -- over planned defense cuts, supposedly a menace their companies cannot survive if you believe their rhetoric. They attempt to paint themselves as victims of sequestration put in motion by the Budget Control Act of 2011, voted for by the likes of Sen. John McCain, who hit the road last week with other senators to scare swing states about possible job losses as a consequence of the planned cuts he helped put into motion.

You know it's a big moment for defenders of the United States' bloated military budget when some of the all-time superstars of the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex descend on Capitol Hill to fight for their perceived right to profit.