anyone want to help me respond to this re""Strong Military"

[w8liftinglady]

in my paper yesterday.

http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2010/12/27/opinion/doc4d18be027fa00957261869.txt
The Obama administration is contemplating major reductions in the defense department budget to help cut into the huge deficits incurred by the President and his Washington cronies. They plan on reducing our conventional military forces, and increase special operations units to combat the terrorist threats around the world.

An increase in special operations forces is warranted to target terrorist organizations, including al Qaida, the Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas and other radical Islamic extremists in a number of countries. Additionally, large scale conventional military operations are necessary to pacify areas in host countries that house the terrorists, and staging bases are needed to launch targeted operations against the terrorists.

Let’s not forget about the threats posed by the large ground forces of Iran; the North Korean army poised against South Korea; and the massive Chinese Communist conventional forces available to threaten Taiwan, Japan and other Asian countries. Due to its vibrant economy, which is growing 10 percent annually, China has embarked on a significant upgrade of its land forces and strategic weapons systems, and has implemented a naval shipbuilding program that includes aircraft carriers and submarines. Russia is also upgrading its military.

We need to maintain robust military forces, both special operations and conventional forces, to combat terrorist organizations and deter countries from hosting terrorists, and to oppose the forces of totalitarian regimes in the world that threaten our national security and the security of our allies. History has taught us military weakness is the breeding ground for wars.

[gratuitous]

1. Shooting fish in a barrel

If military weakness is the breeding ground for wars, as the writer states, why did we get involved in two wars during the Bush years, when presumably our military was at peak operating efficiency? If the rest of his analysis is as defective as this easily refuted (or refudiated) point, his yammering can be safely ignored.

We're looking at a yawning budget shortfall brought about by disastrous economic policies relentlessly pursued by the Bush administration and its congressional enablers. The first, most obvious place to look to stanch federal budget hemorrhaging is the biggest outlay, which means the nearly trillion dollars a year we spend under the rubric of defense.

[w8liftinglady]

3. well,my response,fwiw

It's difficult to know where to begin.
You feel a strong military is the key to our global strength,and yet you insist we send the same troops on multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.If you are so "for" a strong military,where is your statement regarding a mandatory draft for all US citizens that are fit for service(no exclusions).
Where were your statements when we outsourced all of our military services to private industry?This is a HUGE chunk of military spending...as usual,not on the troops.
Where were your comments when we got into these trillion dollar wars for financial gains?
Where were your comments when the veterans groups had to beg for services,the military had to beg for equipment?
It didn't effect your bottom line is the only conclusion I can make.Now,it does.
We DO need a strong military-one reserved for defense,one exempt from private corporations and one with the commitment from all to care for the troops and their families during and after their deployment.Show me how you support that,Mr.Moskowitz.

[gratuitous]

5. Excellent points, all

Sounds like a running conversation here, and your correspondent has a memory about as long as a Fox news cycle.

[immoderate]

2. Each American overseas military base is a recruitment tool for terrorists.

There are more than 700 foreign military bases. They are expensive. Terrorists, OTOH, are cheap.

--imm

[Sherman A1]

4. I think the answer lies in having the right military to

DEFEND the United States, not impose our will upon the rest of the world.

I would ask the writer, just why do we spend as much as the rest of the world combined on our military. Why do we need such military power? Can we not defend ourselves with far less expenditure?

We are building F-35's for what reason? How big is Al Qaida's Air Force? Cannot our current generation of fighter aircraft penetrate anywhere on the planet and strike their targets?

Do we really need 10 - 12 Carrier Battle Groups?

[LeftinOH]

6. We don't need military bases in Germany, Cuba, Italy, Japan, etc-

an egregious waste of money to maintain the illusion of "global security".

[bluestateguy]

7. The way to a strong military is not spend, spend, spend.

I'm sure they can learn to do more with less.