In the wake of Armed Liberal's "Alternative QDR" article yesterday, I thought it maight be a good idea to acquaint interested readers with the real thing - and other reactions to it. In general, it's safe to say that the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review reflects pretty strong consensus in the US Department of Defense, but isn't being received so well elswehere. What's surprising to some is that conservatives are criticizing it too - though their tone and foci differ sharply from the "Progressive QDR" Marc noted.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense has submitted its FY 2007 budget request: $439.3 billion. This is 7% more than the FY 2006 request, but slightly less than the $441.5 billion eventually appropriated by Congress in the FY 2006 budget. Because this 2007 budget request was put together in parallel with the 2006 QDR, it bears some imprints from that process and begins to implement some of the QDR's proposed directions.

Note that this is just the first step in a long process that involves bills drawn up in both the House of Representatives and the US Senate, which will add some things, subtract others, and impose conditions. Then the House and Senate bills must be reconciled in committee into one common bill for the President to sign into law. Last year's FY 2006 budget, introduced in February 2005, was finally signed into law on December 30, 2005.

Defense Industry Daily offers a roundup of the key source and ancillary materials for the budget proposal and the QDR, as well as news articles and other sources that offer useful summaries. We also offer all kinds of links to outside reactions, analysis, and other background material that may be of interest.

• Defense Industry Daily - The USA's 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review: Report & Reactions

• Defense Industry Daily - The USA's FY 2007 Defense Budget: Proposal