Here we are on the brink of financial disaster, and Congress as usual abdicates their responsibilities and goes on recess.
With the thoughts of sequestration just around the corner, billions will soon be cut from our national defense. While each of the military services will face reduction, the U.S. Marine Corps will feel the brunt of such losses. Again, the cry will go out to diminish the size of the corps, while some will go so far as to dissolve the corps altogether. Hopefully, those leaders within the Pentagon will recall the near disaster following World War II when President Truman tried unsuccessfully to disband the Marine Corps in 1948. Fortunately, members of Congress, many of which served in the military, and pressure from letter-writing citizens saved the corps from extinction.
Soon after, in June 1950, war erupted on the Korean peninsula, and the folly of reducing our military was evident. The United States must not be held hostage by our indebtedness to foreign countries.
The president and Congress must act in unison to preserve, protect and defend our republic.
We can never again afford a “hollow military” to defend us.
In these critical times, we should heed the words of Thomas Jefferson, who stated, “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” The American people deserve and expect their government to provide the strongest military in the world to maintain our liberty and freedom.
Boyce Clark
Edmonds
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