By Edward Sperry, Col USAF (ret), Stevensville
I hope valley veterans read this. They may not agree, but, maybe it will stir some thought.
Since we will soon be voting to retain or replace our Senator it would seem proper to consider the contributions to our national defense from the incumbent. He has done positive things for vets. I am personally aware of his assistance in getting the State Veterans Cemetery in Missoula. But support of vets was only part of his responsibility to national defense. Senator Tester was a firm, committed supporter of President Obama. In this capacity, he shared responsibility for the reduction in our armed forces that took place in the years of Obama’s budget sequestration. Defense budgets were cut ruthlessly while the social programs were merely slowed down in their rate of increase. Apparently, no one has read the U.S. Constitution recently. It establishes that the number one obligation of the feds is national defense.
Over the years from 2012 to 2017, the readiness of our forces was reduced to the point where our senior military commanders warned that we might well be defeated should we have to face our peers (for peers read China and Russia). Hey, comrades, don’t you remember when we prepared so that we did not tolerate a “fair fight.” Our training, our technology and degree of readiness instilled caution in our adversaries. Well, no one can say the past few years have not seen a constant upgrade in Chinese, Russian, North Korean, Iranian aggressive maneuvers. President Trump’s budgets have started the long climb back to military superiority. Let’s hope we have time to reacquire our capabilities. It is a dangerous world out there!
Two quotes may add some bit of credit to my comments. President Trump said he signed the omnibus because for eight years “deep defense cuts have undermined our national security.” His budget reflects the need for rapid change, one example being in the words of Secretary of the USAF. “This will not be how wars are fought in the future – as the National Defense Strategy lays out – the homeland is no longer a sanctuary, and there will be challenges to the U.S. military advantage.”
Before you vote, comrade, consider who will support the immediate, urgent military challenges we face. If the past is prelude, it sure won’t be Senator Tester!