-Caveat Lector- From http://www.sierratimes.com/archive/dan/txt/edcd102700-t.htm }}}>Begin A SierraTimes.com Print Friendly Editorial It’s Time to Come Home by Colonel Dan - Posted: 10.27.00 'Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent Alliances with any portion of the foreign World" ~ George Washington ~ "Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ Our military forces are currently deployed to over 100 locations throughout the world—the most in any peacetime period in history. Due to some questionable political alliances, our troops are being sent places for extended periods where I can see no strategic or vital national interests being threatened, served or protected. This at a time defense resources are being dangerously cut by an administration that has made obvious their lack of respect or concern for the military—or America for that matter. We have thousands of service men and women in places that aren’t of real national interest and relatively few in some places of critical strategic importance. It’s time we turn out this disgraceful administration, bring our troops home and re-evaluate our priorities. Americans are currently deployed to numerous places of fading national concern because of aging agreements--some half a century old. I characterize many of these aging agreements as the entangling alliances Washington and Jefferson warned of that do nothing but drain national resources, hinder our efforts in those areas that are of vital national interest, stir up ill-will and surrender the sovereignty of America to the United Nations. Since 1992, our forces have been cut by 8 Army divisions, 20 Air Force and Navy air wings and the Navy is now at about 318 ships, down from 600 just a few years ago. Yet this administration, more than any other in our history, has expanded the use of the military for non-vital reasons, i.e. to save its own political hide, establish some misbegotten legacy and divert public attention from scandal while ignoring and even selling out our actual national interests. In a phrase, it is nothing short of disgraceful. Examples of major troop deployments that I question: Korea. We’ve had troops there for almost 50 years and nobody yet has been able to explain to me what vital national interests are at risk on that peninsula. I’ve been there 17 times and am still wondering. In all that time, I’ve seen nothing to keep us in Korea other than one of those entangling alliances made so many years ago. What is of such vital concern to America there, the loss of which would threaten our existence or way of life? Europe. Although good allies, I can’t see the vital interests here either and I served in Germany for more than 7 years. America has had a significant military presence there starting with WW I. Yet more than 55 years after WW II ended, we remain deployed all across the European continent. Why? The Soviet led WARSAW Pact threat of conquest prompted us to remain after WW II but the WARSAW Pact is long gone. In fact, we now boast several former Pact countries as members of NATO! What it boils down to is that our troops in Europe are a hold over from WW II and the cold war. They now simply serve no real purpose that supports our national vital interests or directly protects our way of life that I can see. Again, those entangling alliances made so many years ago are haunting and draining us despite whatever benefits are derived. Balkans. That is a quagmire where the inhabitants have been fighting for over 700 years without resolution. Several years ago, we were told the United States would be there for only about a year—yet another lie by the Clinton/Gore team. This deployment was only to enhance Clinton’s world stature and we are now stuck without any light at the end of a very dark tunnel we have no business being in anyway. This too will only serve to be an indefinite drain on our country and our military unless we pull out as G. W. Bush has said he would do. I believe Bush is more apt to keep his word regarding the Balkans than I believe anything coming from Bill Clinton or Al Gore. Mogadishu, Somalia, Haiti, and aspirin factories: There are many numerous, smaller areas like these but the question remains the same. What in the world threatened the US or our way of life in those places that was wor thy of a single American service man or woman’s life? Columbia. The Clinton/Gore team is currently building the case for committing additional forces to fight an un-winnable drug war. This is clearly another quagmire in the making and one whose objective is very unclea r by any standard. Has anyone yet adequately described the enemy, mission or exit strategy? Now let’s consider some places that are of strategic importance to the US in my opinion. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Our life’s blood of oil is from that region, yet how many troops do we have there relative to Korea, Europe and all those other places? Although we did win a major victory there, we pulled o ut the vast majority of our force after the war due in large part to requests from those countries—they simply don’t want us in that region permanently and that’s OK. I certainly don’t want the US dragged into th eir political turmoil, becoming yet another entangling alliance, but we must protect the oil supplies we are so very dependent upon. In my view, we wouldn’t be dependent on this area at all were we to adopt a policy of placing our own citizens needs above that of such things as the snail darter or spotted owl, take advantage of our own resources and establish true energy independence. If it would have been up to the animal rights groups and environmental bureaucrats that are preventing development of Alaskan oil for example, we would still be fighting to preserve the dinosaurs and allowing Tyrannosaurus Rex to stomp around in your backyard. According to their philosophy, it’s acceptable for us to remain dangerously dependent on foreign oil but unacceptable for us to become independent by using our own resources because of these misguided, feel good policies of the left. Such a philosophy, I will never accept! Panama. A very strategic canal for America to which if we were denied access, would threaten our ability to deploy forces and supplies in a rapid manner in defense of our own shores. Yet we gave that away and pulled our troops out after we bought, built and paid for it. We have also allowed the Communist Chinese, via a front company, to operate/control both ends of that canal. Are we showing force there with troop deploymen ts? No. United States. Our own borders are being overrun and our government response is to do nothing. In fact, Clinton now wants to give these illegal aliens amnesty and green cards--and Democrat voter registration cards a long with it no doubt. It’s easier than enforcing our laws, protecting our borders and the citizens that live along that border. In fact, the government, at the state level, has threatened legal action against ma ny American ranchers who live along our southern border if they do take strong measures to protect themselves against this foreign invasion. Unbelievable! I know some will tell me that I sound like a short sighted isolationist and the U.S., as the world’s only super power, cannot turn its back on our allies as that would only serve to destroy America’s stature, respec t and support around the world. To this I would just say that policies of globalism, nation building and providing a worldwide police force with very deep pockets sure hasn’t gained us the undying respect, suppor t and admiration of the world thus far. What they have done is create hostility when we do intervene where we have no business, generate anger when we don’t give as much as the receiving country expects and drain our national treasure in the process—our national treasure not only in terms of dollars, but more importantly, our people in uniform. It’s time to follow a different path that places Americans at the top of America’s priority list for a refreshing change. What would I do? Trade with all, but disentangle America from foreign alliances as Washington and Jefferson advised. Bring our troops home and give them the mission of protecting our own borders. I would only deploy forces outside the continental United States in order to defend areas that are of vital strategic interest to the survival of our own nation. Finally, I would never again send our troops anywhere under the comma nd and wearing the uniform of the United Nations nor allow that body to dictate or impose anything that would adversely effect or restrict the sovereignty of the United States in any way whatsoever. But that’s just me--and the view from my saddle. 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