Here’s a question I might suggest be asked of our
presidential hopefuls: In a time of war, would unilateral disarmament be
a good idea?Here’s how I might suggest they reply: This is a time of war, stupid! We have troops in Afghanistan and (again) in Iraq. Perhaps, as President Obama appears to believe, “engagement” will transform Iran from a revolutionary terrorist sponsor into an upstanding member of the “international community” but, for now, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” remain among the openly proclaimed goals of its rulers.
North Korea -- nuclear-armed despite a 1994 agreement that President Clinton assured us would lead Pyongyang to “freeze and then dismantle its nuclear program” -- is developing missiles that can deliver nuclear warheads to distant targets (such as Los Angeles). China has been waging cyber attacks on the U.S. – with impunity. Having taken slices of Ukraine and Georgia, Russia’s Vladimir Putin may be preparing to test NATO’s mettle in the Balkans.
I would further suggest that the candidates stress what an unpardonable error it would be to intentionally diminish our military capabilities given these threats. And oh, yes, by the way: diminishing our military capabilities is the current policy of the Obama administration and it has the acquiescence, and in some cases the support, of many Republicans in Congress. The American military today is smaller than it was before the “Pearl Harbor” of Sept. 11, 2001 – with more shrinkage on the governmental to-do list.
