J. D. Pendry

J. D. Pendry

What do you think about the Russian analyst who predicted the demise and breakup of the United States? I have news for him. The breakup of the United States was completed the day that being a Hyphenated-American became more important than being just an American. I needed to clear that thought from my mind before moving on.

I recently scanned an article in a paper produced by a professional military association. It talked about the President-elect and what the military and veterans should expect from him. What the article amounted to was a regurgitation of talking points provided to them by a political campaign. I was rather disappointed.

One political statement made by President-elect Obama, or campaign promise, whichever way you choose to characterize it, concerns me a great deal. It should concern everyone. It should concern professional military associations also, but like most other things here in the twilight zone of news and information suppression, it has not garnered much attention. The media, that bastion of investigative and objective journalism, is too busy basking in its political victory to be curious about what it may bring to their doorstep. Before all of our voices are suppressed by the Fairness Doctrine and the Googstapo, I suggest we forget all of the conspiracy theories and lawsuits bouncing around the net and concentrate on those concrete ideas expressed to us by Mr. Obama before we elected him.

“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”

“Just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded” According to the Department of Defense, the active duty military strength as of June 30, 2008 was 1,385,122. There are 1,105,297 active duty military in the United States and its territories and 279,825 in foreign countries. These numbers do not include the military reserves. The National Defense Budget for 2008 was 647.2 billion dollars. Why would we need a “civilian national security force just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded” as that?

What exactly does the President-elect envision as the mission of this force? Every state has a State Police Force. Every Governor has at his or her disposal the state’s National Guard. We have the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, The U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the US Coastguard and probably some agencies I have never heard of. The question that comes to mind is what exactly will the President’s national security force do that is not already accomplished by these organizations? I am not going to write the answers that keep popping into my mind; just suffice it to say that none of them are good.

Since we appear to be shredding our Constitution, it does not surprise me that no one as yet has raised any legal questions about this force. The Posse Comitatus Act prevents the use of the military to enforce civil law in the United States. It also protects the liberties of citizens. What protections of our liberties would we have from this “civilian national security force”? Mr. Obama made some other comments about national security that should concern all citizens and should especially concern professional military people.

“… I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending [and use it to fund my civilian national security force?]. I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems [while the Iranians develop nuclear weapons and test long range missiles]. I will not weaponize space [but the Chinese have already started]. I will slow our development of future combat systems. [the systems that keep our Soldiers alive and provide them a battlefield advantage]

“I will institute an independent defense priorities board to ensure that the Quadrennial Review is not used to justify unnecessary defense spending.

“Third, I will set a goal for a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert, and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenal.”

When these statements are considered along with the concept of a civilian national security force just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded, it should concern any thinking American. It has me thinking. Thinking that I should be making improvements to the home bunker.

Copyright 2008 JD Pendry All Rights Reserved

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 30th, 2008 at 10:54 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.