Liberals love straw men to do battle against. They create situations of enormous national danger that exist only in their overheated rhetoric. They will then act astonished that anyone could be foolish enough to support the position represented by their straw man. Of course, no one actually does. But that, to them, is totally irrelevant. Then they will proceed to show why this straw man should be destroyed never to be seen again. The problem is that low information voters will buy into the liberal cant.
Thus it is with the military. Liberals will argue that the military must be downsized. The cost is burdensome and we cannot continue to bear the cost of putting boots on the ground around the world. While both of these thoughts have a touch of truth in them, the whole truth is far much more complicated.
While the cost of worlds most powerful military is burdensome, the cost of a world in chaos is much more so. We must bring our military back up to the levels that have commanded the respect of the world's leaders. Both the good and the evil.
The officer ranks have been decimated at the highest levels. Compliance with an inept Commander in Chief has become more important than the strength, skill, and independence that has always described the officer corps of the American military.
It was not very long ago when the mere presence of an American carrier group or a few nuclear submarines tended to make bad actors re-examine their plans and actions and stiffen the spines of our allies. Today even Iran dares challenge us militarily. Imagine if any other country in the world had the might of the American military and we were unable to balance it. I fear the world would soon change in an unpleasant manner.
A strong American military helps keep the world peaceful. In a peaceful world people and countries prosper. When there is great prosperity, the cost of the military as a percentage of GNP goes down. The military becomes cheaper to own.
With a world in chaos and financial success being a wistful dream, the cost of the military rises. Munitions must be used. Equipment will be destroyed. And worst of all, men will be lost.
Yes, the free world expects the United State to field a superior military and be the big cop on the block. But that's OK. Because we can do it and do it well. And, most times, we can do it without boots on the ground and shots being fired. When we have leadership that believes in America, and believes in American exceptionalism, we earn and deserve the privilege of world leadership. There are still many of us that believe that is a great honor and Americans should stand proud because of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment