The purpose of the committee headed by Harel Locker, formed by the Prime Minister to examine the defense budget, is to establish a multi-year framework for the defense budget in order to preempt the regular annual conflict between the Ministry of Finance and the defense establishment over the budget. Accordingly, then, the goal of the committee is twofold: one, to define a long term budget framework, thereby facilitating more efficient planning of defense needs; and two, to resolve “once and for all,” or at least for a few years, the dispute between the two ministries. In fact, however, the professional argument between the ministries should not be dissolved. The committee should devise an orderly process that allows sound political decisions to be taken. The discussion should be structured so that the professional dilemmas are presented to the decision makers, while emphasizing the need to decide on priorities for the various goals, the right way of financing needs in the long term, and priorities for managing various risks.
