In this photo from U.S. Navy archives, sailors stand among wrecked airplanes at Ford Island Naval Air Station as they watch the explosion of the USS Shaw in the background during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941. The attack led to the U.S. entry into World War II. Associated Press/U.S. NavyI am one of a dwindling number of Americans who were alive on Dec. 7, 1941, listening in disbelief to radio reports of the attack by Japanese naval forces on our bases in Oahu. It came as a complete surprise to most Americans, who wondered how a Japanese task force could transit the vast Pacific Ocean and catch our military totally unprepared for an attack that crippled our Pacific Fleet and killed nearly 3,000 Americans.
As the reality of war and an uphill fight sank in, I said goodbye to my older brother who shipped out for duty in the South Pacific, not to return home for nearly four years. It was a long war and one for which we were ill-prepared. Our force levels were near historic lows and our initial lack of readiness cost us heavily in terms of casualties in early battles.
We eventually prevailed in that war to end wars except, of course, it didn't. Soon after, we found ourselves engaged in a brutal ground war in Korea and once again we were unprepared, having downsized the military at the end of World War II and again our unpreparedness resulting in heavy initial casualties. We never seem to learn that, in our rush to disarm after every conflict and savor the so-called peace dividend, the future is unpredictable and threats don't wait for us to get ready for them.
Our military force levels are again at near-historic lows and current levels are not enough to fully meet even current commitments as enumerated by higher authority.
Sixty years after Pearl Harbor, on Sept. 11, 2001, America was again attacked on its own soil, killing about the same number of Americans as in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Since then, America has fought wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is currently engaged in a limited effort against Islamic State (ISIS), which may eventually expand into yet another ground war.
Americans are understandably war-weary but, unfortunately, the threat of future conflicts is as great as ever and wishing won't make it go away. In the Pacific, an increasingly assertive and powerful China is at odds with its neighbors over disputed islands and claims of sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, through which, much of the world's commerce, including ours, passes. Russia's revanchist moves in Eastern Europe are stoking new fears of a resumption of the Cold War. The Islamic State threat is resulting in a new military commitment of yet unknown magnitude. Piracy at sea threatens maritime commerce and requires a constant commitment of naval forces. There is a need for additional specially-equipped Aegis warships to provide for ballistic missile defense. The Middle East remains in turmoil and Iran moves closer to acquiring a nuclear weapons capability in spite of sanctions and frantic diplomatic efforts. Meanwhile, we have committed 3,000 troops to fight Ebola in West Africa.
It is reasonable to ask where the military resources needed to counter growing threats will come from. Our military force levels are again at near-historic lows and current levels are not enough to fully meet even current commitments as enumerated by higher authority. The services have been wracked by budget constraints including sequestration. Maintenance of ships and aircraft has been deferred and training curtailed. Ship deployments have been lengthened and will probably need to be lengthened again to meet commitments, with inevitable impact on crew morale and maintenance. Senior leadership has even recommended capping military cost-of-living pay increases to help preserve funds for readiness.
Posted by Unknown on Saturday, December 6, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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