Obama military downsizing leaves U.S. too weak to counter global threats, panel finds

The Washington Times ^ | July 31, 2014 | Rowan Scarborough

[2ndDivisionVet]

An independent panel appointed by the Pentagon and Congress said Thursday that President Obama’s strategy for sizing the armed services is too weak for today’s global threats.

The National Defense Panel called on the president to dump a major section of his 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and write a broader strategy that requires the military to fight on multiple fronts at once.

It also said the shrinking U.S. armed forces, which are being downsized to fit that strategy and budget cuts, is a “serious strategic misstep on the part of the United States.” The forces’ numbers spelled out in Mr. Obama’s QDR are “inadequate given the future strategic and operational environment.”

The warning comes as Mr. Obama is under criticism from many Republicans and some Democrats for his standoff policy toward Syria and his limited response to a June offensive by an al Qaeda offshoot that has gobbled up swaths of territory in Iraq....

[SkyPilot]

"And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...."

Matthew 24:6

Wars are coming, across the Middle East, perhaps to Europe and the Pacific as well. There may even be a civil war in our own nation.

The US military has been a force for good, justice, and stability for decades. Obama has been undermining its people, equipment, training, budgets, laws, morality, and very core from almost the moment he took office.

Many members of Congress, eager for any spending cuts but unable to touch sacred Entitlements, allowed the Obama attacks on the military to continue, and even enabled him to do so. Moreover, they were too timid to stop the social and moral attacks against the foundations of the military.

As the world spins out of control, the US military is less and less looking as the effective force to bring peace and stability.

Tiny Israel stands alone, and the US enables the worst of Muslim murderers.

I never thought I would see these days, but I now have.

[cld51860]

My brother in law lives and works in Abu Dhabi, with his pregnant wife. I was told last night over dinner with his parents that he is mulling over whether or not to extend his contract for three years. I told them, with the ME burning like it is, and if ISIL is even half successful with their five year plan, he damned well won’t want to live there much longer. They said nothing at all. I don’t know if they are ignorant of what is happening over there, are just happy in their bubble, or think I am full of ——. When I last talked to my brother in law, he scoffed at the notion they could be in any danger. I reminded him he is literally only hundreds of miles from Iran, and a stone’s throw from the Strait of Hormuz. No response at all from him. Again, don’t know if they think I am an alarmist....