George Rebane
Today we remember and honor the military service men and women who died for us, and those who have yet to come home. We sent them into harm’s way to keep harm away from us and our loved ones. They went willingly again and again to do the work of war with the belief, and sometimes only hope, that their country was behind them.
Since the days of muzzle loading rifles and the Constitution class of frigates, one way Americans heading for battle knew their country supported them fully was in the quality and supply of weapons and stores they were provided. In the main, these were always the best that was available for warcraft. And with innovative entrepreneurs free to invent, make, and sell, America soon set the standard for getting there firstest with the bestest and mostest – once our politicians had things sorted out.
After WW2 we were on top of the heap, and quickly learned our new role in the conflict that became known as the Cold War. Our allies acknowledged our supremacy and, over the years, grew fat, peaceful, and peace-loving, knowing that Uncle Sam was the world’s sheriff. With the coming collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, we could all breathe a sigh of relief. Throughout the late eighties and the nineties, the country’s leadership “cashed in the Cold War dividend” by reducing defense expenditures – the so-called “procurement holiday” – while our technology-boosted economy soared. Happy times were here again.
Then on 9/11 Islam reminded us that its fanatical and more restive elements were ready to resume the dictates of their Medina Quran, and “the religion of peace” once more donned its true colors. America sought to respond as leader of a militarily capable West, and quickly found that its developed country partners were both unable and therefore mostly unwilling. Their military machine had become only a for-profit capitalist shill, making fancy killing machines to sell on the world’s munitions markets, showing them off at world-class airs shows and field demonstrations. Anybody with a check was on strategy – except their own taxpayers. The default transportation mode of Germany’s Bundeswehr had become hitchhiking.
So now, after ten years of mid-east warfare (I would not elevate them to ‘wars’), we are tired, divided, dissolute, and deep in debt. A good many of us counsel stepping back, focusing on being a “good global citizen”, and perhaps “leading from behind”. China, Russia, Iran, and the now forming Arab Spring strongly support such a strategy for America.
Today Robert Gates, one of the country’s longest serving SecDefs, is providing the country some needed perspective as he heads for retirement this summer. He does not want to leave America weaker than how he found it. Here are some of the thoughts and data he would like us to consider as we decide on which politicians should next take the helm.
– Thanks to Uncle Sam, Germany, France, and Great Britain are not so burdened, but America’s role as a global leader depends on its ability to project power, period.
– We spend only 3.5% (4.5% with Afghan and Iraq thrown in) of GDP on defense. Europe spends 1.7% of their GDP.
– The average defense spending during the Cold War was 7.5% of GDP, and 6.2% under the Reagan build-up.
– Modern weapon systems need maintenance to retain just their existing fighting capability. This itself requires a 2-3% annual growth in the defense budget. Obama is planning deep cuts in the 10-20% range.
– Cutting $55B out of a $1.4T deficit is chump change, but catastrophic for America’s force structure. “Defense is not (America’s debt) problem.”
– Stopping production of the F-22 will remove America’s top echelon fighter capability for the first time since WW2.
– Entitlements spending eclipsed defense spending in 1976. Last year SS, Medicare, and Medicaid accounted for 9.8% of GDP and two thirds of an in-deficit federal budget.
– By 2020, under current administration’s projections, entitlements will make up 10.8% and defense will sink to 2.7% of GDP.
In his recent Notre Dame speech Secretary Gates said, “But make no mistake, the ultimate guarantee against the success of aggressors, dictators, and terrorists in the 21st century as in the 20th, is hard power – the size, strength and global reach of the United States military.” In short, let’s not make our military hitchhike to battle, and make sure they have ample good stuff to shoot when they get there. We owe that to the next generations of Americans, and to those who will risk their all so that we remain free to prosper as our talents allow.
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