In the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, it’s made clear that one of the primary roles of the federal government is to “provide for the common defense.”
A strong military is vital to our national security. The U.S. military has long been the envy of the world with the most elite fighting force and advanced weaponry of any nation. Yet under the Obama administration that has all changed. His ideology has seemed to be one that sees the military not as a force of good, but a force of oppression. As a result, our military has been vastly weakened, funding has been cut, and defense has taken a back seat to “diversity.”
Since 2009 when Obama took office, there have been more than $100 billion in defense cuts. Here are a few shocking facts which show how far we’ve fallen in strength and readiness.
In 1991 there were 520 commissioned ships in the U.S. Navy. Today that number is nearly cut in half with only 272 commissioned ships in the fleet. And of those 272, As National Reviewreports, numbers are tied to piers needing repairs. The newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has two of its four main turbine generators out of commission. The stealth land attack destroyer, the USS Zumwalt, is in need of repair, and six out of seven littoral combat ships (LCSs) currently in commission are sidelined due to mechanical failures. In the entire naval fleet, only one surface ship designed after 1985 is operational as of today.
While Russia and China are engaged in rapid military buildup, the U.S. Navy doesn’t have enough ships in the water to protect our national interests. Currently, we’re dependent on 61 destroyers – which were designed over thirty years ago.
Recently the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower could only be deployed to the Mideast after stripping mission-essential parts from other ships. And as Military.com reported, “parts were cannibalized from subs at the rate of 1.5 per day across the submarine force to fund current operations.”
The deterioration of equipment doesn’t stop with ships. Navy and Marine aircraft are also depleted and cobbled together. According to U.S. Navy statistics, only 21 percent of its early model F-18 Hornets can fly — and only half of its newer Super Hornets are in ready condition. Over 100 Super Hornets are not flying due to shortages of critical parts. Of the Navy’s MH-60 helicopters, only 57 percent can fly. In the Marine Corp, only 60 percent of its entire fleet of aircraft is in flight readiness condition. Of the Marine’s 273 F-18s, only 91 can fly. And according to Military.com, “three F-18 Hornet squadrons were notified they would be the parts ‘donors’ if the carrier strike group were to need spares …” With few spare parts for repairs, the U.S. military is using drastic measures to keep planes in the air – even attempting to scavenge parts from museum planes.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, stated: “I have heard firsthand from service members who have looked me in the eye and told of trying to cannibalize parts from a museum aircraft … getting aircraft that were sent to the boneyard in Arizona back and ready to fly missions, pilots flying well below the minimum number of hours required for minimal proficiency.”
Due to unsafe equipment hobbled together and insufficient training due to budget cuts, accidents are becoming more frequent. A Fox News investigation reveals that the entire U.S. military saw a 48 percent increase in non-combat aviation crashes in 2014 and 2015 compared to 2012 and 2013.
Such tragic crashes “are going up partly because they are not getting the training they should get. They're going up because maintenance is harder and harder to accomplish. They are going up because the airplanes are getting older and older,” said House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry.
Thornberry also warned that "less than one-third of the Army is at acceptable levels of readiness," and that in the Air Force, "less than half combat forces are ready for a… high-end fight." Leaving our nation with "the smallest, oldest, and least ready (force) across the full-spectrum of operations in our history."
In addition to depleted equipment, we’re also suffering from demoralized troops. A report last year showed that America's soldiers are discouraged about the state of affairs in today’s military. More than half of our soldiers (52 percent) feel dissatisfied, disrespected, and under-equipped, while 48 percent state that their service is no longer rewarding. Only 28 percent of the Army and National Guard feel good about what they do.
All of that has led to a drastic decrease in re-enlistments. But that’s just fine with the Obama administration – which has reduced our fighting force to the lowest it has been since before World War II. Under our Commander-in-Chief, the Army has established a drawdown plan to reduce the number of troops even further. By September 30, 2016 the number of active-duty soldiers was scheduled to be reduced to 475,000 with a plan to reduce the number to 450,000 by 2018 – down 20 percent since 2010.
In contrast, Russia is on track to have one million active-duty troops by 2020 and is currently engaged in a massive military buildup. According to National Interest.org: “By 2020, the Russian army will be structured around combat-ready and easily deployable brigades, with a goal of having those forces be at least 70 percent equipped with next-generation weaponry and equipment. … backed up by 2300 new tanks, some 1200 new helicopters and planes, with a navy fielding fifty new surface ships and twenty-eight submarines, with one hundred new satellites designed to augment Russia’s communications, command and control capabilities. Putin has committed to spending billions over the next decade to fulfill these requirements.”
In addition, Russia’s stockpile of nuclear weapons at 8,400 is the largest in the world, while the U.S. has 7,500.
China, too, is rapidly increasing their military strength. In a report to Congress, the U.S. Defense Department warned that China was ramping up their arsenal of nuclear weapons, long-range missiles, submarines, aircraft carriers and engaging in cyber warfare. China has also defied the Law of the Sea Treaty and is engaged in the construction and militarization of a numbers of man-made islands in the South China Sea, build on top of submerged coral reefs. During testimony before Congress earlier this year, Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the Pacific Command, warned that China has quickly moved jets, missiles, bombers and radars onto these man-made islands.
While individually Russia and China pose serious threats to not only our national security, but also that of more vulnerable nations, together these two superpowers are of immense concern. Last summer China and Russia announced plans to conduct joint military training operations in the South China Sea this fall – sending a clear message to the world.
Russia and China recognize our weakened position under feckless leadership and are taking advantage of it. As China and Russia are expanding, our influence and strength are diminishing. In part two of this article, which will follow in the days ahead, we’ll examine President Obama’s commitment not to strengthen our military, but to demoralize it through social engineering.
Another president, Ronald Reagan, famously stated: “… to maintain that peace requires strength. America has never gotten into a war because we were too strong.”
That concept of peace through strength has been a part of our nation since its foundation. “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace,” stated George Washington.
Yet, instead of providing for the common defense, the lack of provision is leaving us defenseless. Not only does the Constitution task the federal government with this duty, more importantly God’s Word gives government that responsibility as well.
Elections have consequences. Let’s pray that God will give us wise leaders who will take that responsibility seriously.
Join us for – “The War is Real and the War is Now” in Grand Rapids, MI on Saturday, October 22, 2016.
We’ll be joined by Frank Gaffney who many of you hear daily on his Secure Freedom Minute. Frank is an expert on national security, a former Pentagon official, and heads the Center for Security Policy.
In addition, Sandy Rios the host of the popular radio broadcast “Sandy Rios in the Morning” heard on AFR (91.7 FM in Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Holland area) will be here to share her heart and her passion with us as she does daily on her widely popular radio show.
At this event Frank and Sandy will provide you with the most up-to-date information regarding national security, attacks upon freedom, and other important topics just days before what may be the most important Presidential election in our lifetimes.
October 22, 2016
9:00AM – 12:30PM
Calvin College, Prince Conference Center
1800 East Beltline SE
Grand Rapids MI 49525
For more information or to register by phone call: 231-924-4050,register online at
http://secure4.afo.net/ada/registration.php?eventno=57,
or email: kimberly@americandecency.org
To support our efforts please click here or mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412.
American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
Call us:
231-924-4050Email us:
info@americandecency.orgWrite us:
American Decency AssociationCopyright 2024 American Decency
