By Chris Davis
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma is reacting to President Obama's proposed changes in the nation's military strategy.
In a news release today, Inhofe said the plan "further decimates a military already stretched thin and working with old equipment while threatening our nation’s security."
Just days ago the Senator told us he believes Obama's priorities are wrong.
"I think what we need to do is prioritize. The problem we're having is in our form of government, it's the president who draws these priorities," he said.
Inhofe said Monday that the president's past three budgets prove he is weak on military spending, which the Senator, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), says is a real problem in the face of threats the nation is facing.
He pointed out that some 40 attacks against the U.S. have been foiled since 9/11.
In hofe said cuts in the 90s under the Clinton administration have already weakened the military, making the need for a military budget increase, rather than a downward adjustment, even more necessary.
"We're not gonna get it with this administration. That's one of the main things we're gonna be watching in this election coming up," he told us Monday.
He says rebuilding the national component of the military would save wear and tear on the reserves, which are being deployed time and again from Oklahoma and other states.
Thursday's news release reads:
President Obama’s new defense strategy further decimates a military already stretched thin and working with old equipment while threatening our nation’s security. Under this new strategy, the United States government will shift its focus primarily to Asia at the detriment of other problem areas around the world. It is extremely important for our national defense strategy to have a balanced approach that is capable and ready to fight a broad spectrum of threats simultaneously. The President’s new strategy threatens that balance as well as training, readiness, and equipment.
"While the Pentagon is doing the best they can with what this President has given them, this shift in strategy and reduction in land forces in the Army and Marines will force an even heavier reliance on an overworked National Guard. The President’s choice to abandon the current strategy is a dangerous shift. We must not lose focus on threats like Iran and North Korea as well as problem areas like Syria, Egypt, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Pakistan, Mexico, Libya, and others. This is far worse than the draw down our nation experienced prior to the Reagan administration and again during the Clinton administration. Without force structure and resources needed to modernize our weapon systems, our Armed Forces will not be able to deter future attacks and prevent other countries from initiating conflict. President Obama has put our national defense on the chopping block in order to fund his radically liberal social programs and ideology. This is entirely irresponsible and unacceptable. Our men and women in uniform deserve and expect better.
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