The power of American values is even greater than its military or economy. However, says Rep. "Buck" McKeon of California, time and again we’ve seen the Administration reject notions of American exceptionalism and only reluctantly assume the role of the world’s lone democratic superpower. Drawing on his experience as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. McKeon describes what this means for winning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, detaining and prosecuting terrorists, engaging both allies and adversaries, and investing in a robust national defense. He calls for a National Defense Education and Investment Act to increase funding for basic defense research and ensure we maintain America's technological edge.
While German-American relations have improved in tone from thethinly veiled hostility of Gerhard Schroeder's chancellorship, allis not perfect between recently re-elected Chancellor Angela Merkeland President Obama. German troops in Afghanistan sit on thesidelines while American and British soldiers fight and die;Germany actively pursues trade with Iran, opposing toughersanctions on the terror regime; Berlin and Moscow are becomingdisconcertingly cozy; and Merkel supports a separate EU defenseforce at the expense of Germany's NATO commitments.
We need to cut weapons spending, trim the bloated ranks of the military bureaucracy and reign in runaway pay and benefits Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the nation Saturday in his speech from the steps of the Eisenhower Library in Kansas. And that speech came a few days after Gates warned the Navy to rethink its reliance on a carrier fleet of the current size, on enormously expensive new nuclear submarnes and he urged the Marines to reexamine its amphibious mission and placed crosshairs on their Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. So we asked Mackenzie Eaglen of the Heritage Foundation what Congress needs to do and whether Gates is on the right path or is veering off course. Read on to find her answers.