Posted on 02/26/2014 8:45:06 AM PST by xzins
Dear Congressman ________,
The proposed cuts in national defense will injure the security of the United States of America.
1. The most common enemy the USA is now fighting consists of insurgents. The only remedy for insurgency that has worked is General Petraeus' surge strategy of ground troops. It worked in Iraq and Afghanistan when consistently applied, and it's the only thing that has worked. The only way to "air power" insurgents is to bomb villages, and that will never happen. That leaves ground troops being the only answer. Cutting the Army at this time is completely irrational.
2. The national strategy of being able to fight 2 simultaneous wars is still the right strategy. There is no time in American history when engagement in one war hasn't caused another enemy to at least think of attacking because America was occupied elsewhere. History aside, it is logical for one enemy to take advantage of an opponent's distraction by another enemy. We are now of a strength to fight only one ground war at a time. The optempo of the Iraq/Afghanistan campaigns has proved that. Our troops, both active and reserve, have been "rode hard and put away wet." An army of 450,000 or less is simply not able to put the shooters on the ground that makes effective prosecution of one war a certainty.
3. The only thing that has made the Iraq/Afghanistan campaigns possible has been our National Guard and Reserve. They need an increase -- certainly not a cut...as proposed by this administration. It is utter insanity to contemplate gutting the National Guard and Reserve.
4. Once that defense money is channeled into entitlements -- and it will be -- it will never be recoverable in the US budget. That will mean that any threat at all will further balloon America's debt.
I believe experience with the military will support the 4 points above. Please reject these thoughtless cuts the way they are proposed. Work to ensure America is able to keep its enemies away from our shores and continually worried about our abilities.
With already discharged or retired veterans it is NOT about "benefits". It's about already earned pay that has been deferred. If part of your pay is the promise of the GI Bill, medical care, whatever, and you've done your part of the bargain, then Congress shouldn't be slyly trying to renege on those promises.
Time for veterans to write letters about the defense cuts focusing on national security. I think additional letters about any attempts to take already earned promises away from veterans who’ve already paid the price should be part of a separate letter. We went through that with the COLA cuts.
With already discharged or retired veterans it is NOT about “benefits”. It’s about already earned pay that has been deferred. If part of your pay is the promise of the GI Bill, medical care, whatever, and you’ve done your part of the bargain, then Congress shouldn’t be slyly trying to renege on those promises.
The military votes republican - so they will be cut to the bone.
The free sh*t army votes democrat so entitlements will grow.
They are getting rid of the A-10 Warthog. Cheap, rugged, deadly, and totally dedicated to the grunts.
Got news for you, brother.... With only 7% (+/-) of the total US population having any experience serving in the Armed Forces at all, there is no motivation for Congress to pay any attention to what we Vets have to say about anything and it shows.
Yeah, they provide some lip service to us on Memorial Day, the Forth of July and Veteran’s Day, but that’s about it.
In the end, we do NOT have enough votes to be a factor and that’s all that matters to them.
When is it enough, they don’t listen to us in La-La land, plus taking away from productive people and the very people who defend us, all to give to people to buy their vote. We’re a little late, the silent majority finally found it’s voice when more is needed. I put 22 years in the Corps, I’m 78, but I will still give my all for this country. I can’t run, but I can still shoot straight. All other solutions add up to taking our place in history. Semper Fidelis
I have a pretty good congressman. Voted against debt ceiling, military cola cuts, for obamacare repeal/delay, and other conservative things.
We just had them back down on the retiree COLA cuts. America doesn’t like people messing with its military veterans.
I refuse to give our military to the remfs, liberals, pink swastika. We need to keep our young as the core of the force. We need red-blooded Americans in the military....troops who will NEVER fire on American citizens.
“Troops who will NEVER fire on American citizens”? Where will you find those?
It just dawned on me as to where “The Great ObamaNation” is going to get all the equipment for it’s private army.
I already know some
Some reduction in defense spending, especially on the civilian side and in procurement, may well be justified. Every department and agency could use some significant reductions.
Any cuts that negatively affect the readiness of our military to meet any challenge when called upon to do so is unwise, dangerous, and a violation of the Federal government’s primary responsibility under the Constitution.
I agree that R&D, procurement, and future weapons needs looking at, but I have a slightly different proposal, although it’s based on your idea.
How about dollar-for-dollar-year-for-year cuts in any other part of the defense budget. In other words, you cut a 2015 defense dollar, then you also cut a 2015 dollar in some other area....education, irs, foreign aid, food stamps, etc. You cut a 2025 dollar in defense, then you cut a 2025 dollar in (see the above).
A 2015 dollar can’t be balanced by a 2025 dollar. Near term dollars must be matched by near term dollars.
What do you think?
I hear what you are saying.
However by and large, we have been under a full assault from this current Regime and Congress ever since the 2006 elections that put the RATs in charge of Congress.
True, we get the occasional bone tossed our way but the losses have far outweighed the “victories”.
How many hits have the “Santa Claus” programs taken?
The only way to control the Federal budget is to require it to grow no more than the percent cola they issue to social security recipients....the entire budget held to the fake inflation rate.
The Fed will allow some departments to grow 6%, and others 10%, and other's 0%. I think it is totally at whim. Supposedly, 7% is the average, and the "zero base' excuse is that they've got to keep up with cost increases to stay zero base.
It might anger them so much that they go ahead and give seniors a 7% raise, but I seriously doubt it.
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