Congressman Cole’s Office
Congressman Tom Cole, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel revealed cuts to the Department of Defense in President Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2015. Among many of the proposed changes, the Army would see a reduction from 522,000 soldiers to between 450,000 and 490,000; the Army National Guard would see a reduction from 355,000 to 335,000 by 2017.
“While I have great respect for Secretary Hagel and his distinguished service to our country in uniform and in the Senate, I cannot support the fiscal year 2015 budget that he has presented on behalf of the Obama Administration,” said Cole. “Because the president has been unwilling to lead in the area of entitlement reform, he has chosen to reach his budgetary objectives by slashing defense spending. If enacted, the president’s proposal would place America and the men and women who serve it in uniform at great risk in the years ahead.
“No amount of technology or restructuring can compensate for the massive hole the president intends to make in our nation’s military. Under the Administration’s proposed military budget, America’s military would experience the greatest downsizing since World War II and no longer be able to sustain prolonged stability operations. Expecting that the world is safe enough to justify such deep reductions shows just how little the president understands military deterrence and the strategic importance of a robust armed forces.
“Whether we chose to be or not, America is the ‘cop on the beat’ around the world. The strength of our presence and military readiness speaks to both our enemies and allies. When our military is weak, our nation is seen as a target by our enemies and less stable or dependable to our allies. Making our military weaker inevitably makes the world more dangerous and runs the risk of increasing the number and severity of conflicts around the globe.
“With these proposed cuts to our military, the president would leave American militarily weaker than he found it. His proposal would limit the options available to his successors and increase the dangers we face as a nation. In the months ahead, I hope Congress chooses to reject the president’s recommended defense budget by maintaining our force levels and keeping faith with the members of our armed forces and their families,” concluded Cole.
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I have spent 25 years in and out of the military including two wars. During that time I held commissions in the Marine Corps and the Air Force, flew in a Navy squadron and went to Iraq as an air liaison officer with the Army 4th Infantry Division. Congressman Cole is correct in saying that our military is barely adequate for maintaining a world empire, however, it is more than we need to defend our Republic.