You don’t hold the debt ceiling hostage, threaten to shut down the government, or talk about new tax cuts for the richest one percent while deciding which services and benefits to cut for everyone else.  You cut spending where spending needs to be cut:

U.S. to withdraw about 7,000 troops from Europe

WASHINGTON — The United States plans to withdraw about 7,000 US troops of the 81,000 troops based in Europe, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said.

In an interview with the Armed Forces Press Service, Panetta said two brigade combat teams, or roughly 7,000 US troops, would be withdrawn from Europe, but rotational units would still maintain strong military presence in the region.

Joint chiefs support military downsizing

DURHAM, North Carolina (Reuters) – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Thursday that military leaders supported the reshaping of America’s military with a smaller force and did not feel victimized by it.

“We the military are not being victimized by this budget issue,” Joint Chiefs Chairman General Martin E. Dempsey said in an hour-long lecture at Duke University. “This is something we the Joint Chiefs have endorsed as best for America.”

[...] The United States is expected to draw down about 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by the summer of 2012, leaving about 65,000 American forces in Afghanistan.