Former Defense Secretary William Cohen: Defense spending not changing anytime soon

With a new year and new administration, what new course will U.S. defense and security markets have to chart? Members of the Potomac Officers Club had the chance to hear answers to these and other questions first-hand when former Secretary of Defense William Cohen spoke at a recent POC event.

Ad-libbing a line from Mark Twain, Cohen said reports of any impending tightening of the defense budget are greatly exaggerated. Even though the U.S. is looking to drawdown its military presence in Iraq, U.S. armed forces aren’t likely to leave Iraq until 2011, said Cohen, who is founder of The Cohen Group, a global consulting firm that focuses on tactical and strategic opportunities in a variety of markets.

Cohen touched on other key areas for the government contracting community to keep on its radar “” IT and healthcare, among them “” and spoke about the Obama administration and the good faith it has engendered worldwide. Through Cohen’s travels, he added, he’s been heartened by the good will “” and enthusiasm “” other countries have shown the new president.

Be sure to check out our next POC event featuring the Honorable David M. Walker, President and CEO of thePeter G. Peterson Foundation and former Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO). For details, click here.