U.S. Military Troop Strengths

During Bill Clinton’s first term as President of the USA, our army had 1.2 million troops on active duty, not the 500,000 we have now. Bill Clinton closed more military bases and installations than the four previous presidents combined. John McCain was a member of Congress who in conjunction with Bill Clinton were the principle actors who had our military downsized at a very alarming rate which has had devastating effects on our ability to mount any semblance of cohesive successful ground missions in key parts of the world that are vital to our national security interests (Iraq and Afghanistan). John McCain acquiesced and went along with the status quo in downsizing our military. It’s unfortunate that the volunteer army is not equipped or manned for sustained wars. The Army Reserves and the National Guard have 10 to 15 year old equipment, and are not trained as combat forces.
Guess who has been in Congress for the last twenty years and now he wants to be president of the United States? If he were so concerned about our national security, defense and military preparedness, how did this monumental demise in our military might and prowess occur? If you read the Hamilton-Baker report, they said in blunt terms………..”that’s why President Bush’s Envoys are now eating crow in Damascus and Tehran………….they really want to cut and run”. Now you want another conniving Clinton or an aged John McCain in the White House who can’t differentiate between Al-Qaeda and Sunnis in Iraq or Iran. One of the most essential qualifications of a President is to have vision. However Bill Clinton was very short sighted, narrow minded and lacked vision. He couldn’t see the trees for the forest. And there is nothing in Hillary Clinton’s resume that has been validated to show she has any semblance of experience or expertise on national security, defense or foreign affairs except for her incorrect vote and error to go to war in Iraq. Mr. Obama welcomes the arguments on our national security and defense and he has a comprehensive plan to restore our military to respectability and prestige in the world by increasing our personnel in all branches of the services. Mr. Obama has a very broad vision of the world that encompasses more than putting band-aids on wounds and executing quick fixes because of political expediency