Is America Willing and Prepared to Fight and Win a War?
Si vis pacem, para bellum

This Latin precept cautions us, “if you want peace, prepare for war.”

In today’s volatile, geopolitical environment, the presence and immediacy of war is overwhelming. Ever present on the minds of governments and world citizenry.

“Peace through strength” has become many leaders’ go to phrase. Their personal lexicons filled with verbalizations to project strength – but are there true, powerful forces poised, lying in wait for our enemies?

Aside from this writing, it’s critical to note that America’s fighting force is formidable. Able to defend America, inflicting potent damage on those who would bring harm to our shores or assets around the globe. However, it’s also important to understand our own state of mind in being prepared mentally and militarily for devloping conflicts.

While today’s battlefields are changing in their makeup and complexities, it’s hard to imagine we’re “overly prepared” to fight. “Peace through strength” does require asset availability and commitment.

As recently as a month ago, Robert Gates, the former Defense Secretary, warned that America’s armed forces are ill-equipped for the “very real prospect of war between nuclear-armed great powers.”

He tells us, “Our Army is shrinking, our Navy is decommissioning warships faster than new ones can be built, our Air Force has stagnated in size, and only a fraction of the force is available for combat on any given day.”

Dr. Mark Schneider, former senior Pentagon nuclear strategist, observes: “Today, we do not have ‘science-based stockpiles’, but more like ‘political science-based stockpiles’. Conversely, Russia has science-based development of new and improved nuclear weapons.

Former Director of the U.S. Defense Nuclear Agency, Vice Admiral Robert Monroe, has written extensively, warning for years that U.S. failure to test and develop new nuclear weapons is an existential threat.

Senior military leaders testifying behind closed doors before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, have said that we face some of the most dangerous global threats since World War II, darkening that already disturbing picture explaining that our armed forces are at risk of being underequipped and outgunned; struggling to build and maintain ships, fighter jet fleets dangerously small, and our military infrastructure outdated.

With recent administration actions, we’ve seen a cutback on development of strategic, important weapons, necessary for national defense. This leaves our “…prepare for war” conciseness in a hollow deficient.

Senator Roger Wicker, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote just this last week. “[President Biden] you seem poised to leave the next president a weak hand.” America can never tolerate a weak military for ourselves or the world.

And one must ask how the vaccination mandates and woke environment have added to the decimation of retention and recruiting of our defenders of freedom. Former US Diplomat Eric Caron echoes this concern and struggle.

In President Donald Trump’s administration (2018), the military made a decision to develop a new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, with a focus on the threat from Russia.

But in 2022, the Biden administration said in its review, the sea-launched cruise missile program (SLCM-N) was “unnecessary and would be cancelled…”  Pentagon documents confirmed, “The United States will stop developing nuclear-armed sea launched cruise missiles.”

In conversations with Dr. Peter Pry, a respected authority on America’s nuclear defenses, former CIA intelligence Officer, and Exec Dir Homeland Security Task Force, he warned of this in early 2022.

Dr. Pry said “these would restore tactical nuclear capabilities to U.S. attack submarines and surface ships, offsetting an imbalance that exists with the Russian Navy – heavily armed for winning a nuclear war at sea. And would deter China, North Korea, and Iran by providing tactical nuclear firepower in theater deterring aggression.”

By nearly every measure of force structure — the number of brigades, aircraft, ships and subs, Marine battalions, and end strength, is smaller than when the post-9/11 buildup began,” wrote expert Todd Harrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Pilots are flying B-52s in combat missions today which are older than most people in this room,” Trump has said. The newest bomber in the fleet entered service in 1962, and the Air Force plans to keep its Eisenhower-era aircraft in service through 2040 if possible. Senator Roger Wicker agrees we need investment.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said “The Air Force has 12 entire fleets of aircraft that qualify for antique license plates in Virginia,” and it hasn’t changed much.

“To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”

George Washington

In seeking reaction on today’s military readiness and mindset, this author reached out to an experienced group of diplomatic and military enlisted and officer personnel. Each one’s training and command status listed bringing their varied peace and war time insight to the question “Is American willing and ready to fight and win a war.”

Richard Chrisman, a former US Marine TOW missileman, notes “our military is underfunded, and we should be preparing for long term conflicts. I have concern that our current political leaders are out of touch with the current and possible new hot spots in the world.”

Eric Caron, former INTERPOL Agent who has dealt with worldwide military and law enforcement interactions reflects: “The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 raised concerns about America’s planning and execution of military operations. The overall results undermined U.S. credibility and raised questions about readiness for future conflicts.

He goes on to say. “There are concerns that perceived weaknesses or indecisiveness in foreign policy and military readiness could embolden adversaries from nations like China, Russia & Iran not to exclude terror organizations. The proof: There are 20+ “shadow wars” in Africa, one in Europe & one in the Middle East.”

Eric’s bottom line – “With the emphasis on social agendas, including DEI, defunding / demonizing police and military, America is NOT mentally or militarily prepared to win a war.”

David Harmes, former U.S. Army CW3 and Captain as Infantry/Artillery Officer, depicts a view of our military as it was. With a combined 40 years in service, he observes:

Mentally: “NO: too many are worried more about “affirmative action” than ability. “Social Red Flags” with categories that did not exist a generation ago.” 

Diplomatically: “No: too much appeasement, I think of how that worked for Neville Chamberlain and the world 90 years ago.”

Militarily: “Once again No: Officers are rated for supporting social agendas not combat. The military is “risk averse” IE: do not take a chance, you might offend someone. Or, what I got in Iraq, “you can’t shoot those” (“You can’t break anything”) – I could not get them to understand.”

Resounding confirmation comes from Air Force Colonel (Ret) Rob Maness. 32 ½ years of service with training in B-1 Weapons Systems, Electronic Warfare, Airborne Intelligence, National Command and Control Systems, Nuclear Weapons operations, Joint Staff Operations with Oversight of NATO Nuclear Command and Control Systems, and as Squadron and Wing Commander, giving him valuable insight into our military operations around the world.

America’s preparedness? Colonel Maness expresses:

Mentally – “Absolutely not. The recruiting pool of eligible young people is very small and the current generation is pretty soft.

Diplomatically – “We are destroying our credibility with allies and potential adversaries alike with poor decisions regarding wasted resources sent to Ukraine instead of leading the combatants to a peaceful solution and failing to support Israel’s right to self-defense.

Militarily – “From a capability perspective we’re still out pacing everyone, but China is coming up fast on us: naval power, ship building, doubling their missile (ICBM) count, are all signs we are in a dangerous situation. Add the lack of political will to defend our own people and we won’t be the biggest and meanest dog on the block much longer.

Significant insight was given to this writer from MG (Ret) Paul Vallely. After a distinguished career of 31 years in the US Army, he retired as Deputy Commanding General, US Army Pacific.

General Vallely is a graduate of the Infantry, Ranger, Airborne, and Jumpmaster Schools, the Command and General Staff School, and the Army War College. In Vietnam, positions included infantry company commander, and intelligence officer. He has over fifteen years’ experience in Special Operations, Psychological, and other Civil-Military Operations to speak to these issues.

General Vallely expounds:

Militarily – “The policies of the Biden-Harris Administration have invited conflict, diminished America’s standing around the globe, and imperiled our national security. Over the last four years, peace throughout the world has been upended.

Diplomatically – “Repeatedly we see that our position in the world has been weakened.” General Vallely reminds us, “In October 2019, through tough personal diplomacy, a ceasefire agreement between Turkey and our Kurdish partners in Syria was forged. This agreement held strong because U.S. forces were prepared to ensure the Taliban compliance.”

America has been looked to as the world’s peacekeeper, demonstrating strength and resolve in the pursuit of stability; the formidable deterrent, the definitive arbiter of conflicts for the betterment of the world.

But the results of those objectives are shaped by our preparedness, will and determination, without which we experience the quagmire of protracted conflicts, increasing death and debt, and consternation of the American people.

It is fatal to enter a war without the will to win it.”

Douglas MacArthur

Peace through strength is a defensive, cautionary stance meant to deter our enemies from falsely assuming any weakness in our national posture of protection and dominance. We must stand committed in our belief that a strong, prepared military is our true deterrence – not the Hollywood misconception of just being able “to kill people and destroy things,” but to responsibly, forcefully protect and defend.

The purpose of the military is not to kill people and break things. While sometimes it must break, it must always guard. While sometimes it must kill, it must always keep. In all things, in all tasks, beyond any debate, the military’s purpose is to serve and protect America.”

Major Matt Cavanaugh,
U.S. Army Strategist

 

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