USA –-(Ammoland.com)- Is it possible for a true American patriot to support the Defense Department’s recent proposal to reduce America’s military budget? We don’t think so.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel plans to shrink the United States Army to its smallest force since before World War II. Under Secretary Hagel’s proposals, the Army would drop over the coming years to between 440,000 and 450,000 soldiers. That would be the smallest United States Army since 1940, just one year before we were attacked at Pearl Harbor!
Does anybody besides us believe that history sometimes repeats itself?
Pentagon officials admit the proposed budget cuts will impose greater risk on the armed forces, if they are again ordered to carry out two large-scale military actions at the same time as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. There would be a larger number of casualties. Success would take longer. In fact, a smaller military could actually invite aggression by our enemies such as Al Queda and North Korea [and now Russia].
Pentagon officials insist that, despite budget reductions, America’s military would have the money to remain the most capable armed forces in the world. Defense Department officials stated “You have to always keep your institution prepared, but you can’t carry a large land-war Defense Department when there is no large land war.” It is difficult, however, to understand how the military can be deemed “prepared” to wage a large land war, if that military is dismantled during periods when there is no large land war. It appears the final result of the proposed military cuts would be a military capable of defeating any adversary, but too small for protracted foreign occupations.
All of this sounds like the ongoing effort by Obama and his administration to neutralize our military might. Why? We don’t know what the motive is behind making America look weaker than she already has in the last 5 years.
The military defense budget reductions would also eliminate an entire class of Air Force attack jets. Several members of Congress have vowed legislative action to block the move. State governors, defense-industry officials and members of Congress in seaport communities can be expected to oppose any initiatives that might slow Navy shipbuilding.
The National Guard Association, an advocacy group for those part-time military personnel, is currently circulating talking points urging Congress to reject anticipated cuts. The Guard and Reserves, which proved capable in their recent wartime deployments, would see their arsenals reshaped. The Guard’s Apache attack helicopters would be transferred to the active-duty Army. In return, the Army would transfer its Black Hawk helicopters to the Guard. The rationale is that Guard units have less peacetime need for the vast array of weapons on the Apache. The Black Hawk, a transport helicopter, would be put to use by the Guard in domestic disaster relief.
So, what is patriotism? America’s World War II military personnel probably understood and experienced true patriotism in ways that most of us never will. For them, the war was about one thing, and one thing only — Freedom. For them, patriotism was about protecting, defending and believing in our First Amendment freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the freedom of the people to peacefully assemble. These principles of freedom were not about words in a history textbook. To our World War II military, these freedoms were unalienable rights and absolute privileges.
It costs money, and it takes effort, to remain free. To be an American patriot is to treasure our way of life, to value our founding documents, to celebrate our history of liberty and to believe in the core principles upon which our nation was founded.
To gain an appreciation for our Constitutionally protected freedoms, just look at the global turmoil between forces that yearn to be free and to live in a democratic society, and those forces who want to deny them those freedoms. What are these freedom-seeking individuals willing to spend to secure those freedoms we Americans already have? Their time? Their money? Their lives?
Patriotism cannot be reconciled with a military which only preserves our freedoms under certain prescribed, 21st century cyber-scenarios. Patriotism cannot co-exist with a military that leaves us exposed to aggressive, hostile forces under pre-calculated, but less likely war scenarios. Patriotism cannot thrive under the umbrella of a military that can’t guarantee our ability to pass our abiding freedoms onto future generations, the way they were passed onto us.
Patriotism means being free under all circumstances, and at any cost…period.
Renew Your Spirit visit www.christian-patriot.com