On January 26, 2012, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that Obama is cutting $635 billion from defense spending and this is on top of $400 billion in previous cuts. The result is a hollowed out military. The key cuts are as follows:

• The army will be cut by 72,000 reducing the number of combat brigades.
• The marines will be cut by 20,000.
• The air force will cut 6 tactical fighter squadrons along with a fighter training squadron.
• One hundred thirty cargo planes will be eliminated, reducing the ability to rapidly move personnel, equipment, and supplies.
• The missile defense program will be scaled back.
• The defense industrial base will be weakened, leaving it less able to supply equipment and technology for national defense.

To make matters even worse in mid-February Obama announced plans to cut our nuclear arsenal by 80%. This would take the number of US warheads down to 300 while Russia would remain at 1,550. There is also strong evidence that China is hiding up to 3,000 nuclear warheads in 3,000 miles of tunnels. If anyone thinks that China isn’t a threat click on the word tunnels.

With this level of cutting the Defense Department confirms that, “it will no longer be capable of sustaining long term operations”.  But unfortunately the cutting is far from over. As a result the Budget Control Act and congress failing to agree upon $1.2 trillion in cuts last year, an additional $600 billion will be cut from defense next year.

Defense Secretary Panetta warned that these cuts will be “devastating,” leaving America with the smallest ground forces since 1940,” “a fleet of fewer than 230 ships, the smallest level since 1915,” and the smallest tactical fighter force in the history of the Air Force.” General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, bluntly told Congress that the mandated reductions create “very high risk” to national security. The only way to avoid these additional cuts would be to amend or repeal the Budget Control Act; however Obama has made it very clear he will veto any such attempt.

In slashing the military, Obama is in essence thumbing his nose at the primary function of the federal government…national defense. With cuts of this magnitude, and more cutting on the way, our military will be far less able to project force around the world and keep the fighting over there and not here at home. These cuts are not coming at a time when the world is a safer place; it is every bit as dangerous today as it has been.  Iran is perusing terrorism around the world as well as developing nuclear weapons, North Korea is a continuing threat, China is rapidly building it military, and the Middle East is hotter than ever.

Make no mistake; Obama has put us all in danger. Our enemies are watching and unfortunately weakness always invites aggression.  The only way back from this disaster is to make Obama a one term president.