So, for all of you who believe a vote for Obama is a vote for peace here is a minor wake up call. I have been suggesting for months to people to go to Obama's web site and read his foreign policy before becoming a Obama-maniac. And as I also have been saying, when he becomes president there may be some buyer's remorse and some wailing and gnashing of teeth...
Don't get me wrong. I suppose I will probably vote for Obama. But everyone needs to be aware of what they are going to get and not be surprised when the mythological mesmerizing Obama-god turns out to be just a man.
How Obama, who traditionally supports trimming the defense budget, can square his support for expanding personnel programs, force-level increases, more deployments to Afghanistan and an army reset is a question he has not addressed.
Excerpt from his speech yesterday:
There is no challenge greater than the defense of our nation and our values. The men and women of our military – from Fort Carson to Peterson Air Force base, from the Air Force Academy to the ROTC students here on campus – have signed up at a time when our troops face an ever-increasing load. Fighting a resurgent Taliban. Targeting al Qaeda. Persevering in the deserts and cities of Iraq. Training foreign militaries. Delivering humanitarian relief. In this young century, our military has answered when called, even as that call has come too often. Through their commitment, their capability, and their courage they have done us all proud.
But we need to ease the burden on our troops, while meeting the challenges of the 21st century. That’s why I will call on a new generation of Americans to join our military, and complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines.
A call to service must be backed by a sacred trust with anyone who puts on the uniform of the United States. A young person joining our military must know that we’ll only send them into harm’s way when we absolutely must. That we’ll provide them with the equipment needed to complete their mission safely, and deployments that allow adequate time back home. They must see that we’ll care for our military families while they’re deployed, and that we’re providing our veterans with the support, benefits, and opportunity that they have earned when they return home. That’s what I’ve fought for on the Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee. That’s what I’ll promise as Commander in Chief.
