The recent closing of military bases is certainly serious business, especially for those communities that will be forced to absorb the economic shock. It is reported the resulting cost saving to taxpayers is around $5 billion a year. That’s a lot of money. Maybe so, but consider the following:

Ivan Eland, PhD., a recognized expert in U.S. defense studies and foreign policy, has written a recent book titled “The Empire Has No Clothes.” In it, he exposes U.S. foreign policy as the behavior of an imperialistic, empire-building government rather than that of a republic. He explains by saying, “… more than a decade after the Cold War ended about 250,000 troops are deployed overseas in 38 countries and at sea. The United States has legally binding commitments to provide security to at least 36 countries. In 2003, the U.S. Military’s Special Operations Command was deployed in at least 65 countries.”

Eland offers one solution: “Thus, the United States needs to abrogate all formal and informal alliances, withdraw all armed forces based overseas, convert to a military that can project power from the United States and cut the massive U.S. annual defense budget of more than $400 billion by a little more than half, to $184 billion.”

How did the country get in a position that requires the United States to police the globe and spend itself into bankruptcy? According to Eland, by the executive branch of government usurping the constitutional power of the legislative branch to declare war. Ever since the end of World War II, in 1945, presidents, whether Democratic or Republican, liberal or conservative, have found ways to avoid the constitutional requirement that only Congress declare war. They define events which have occurred as either “police actions” or “humanitarian causes,” not wars. Since Congress represents the will of the people (we elect them), presidents for the past 60 years have ignored the people.

Think about it and get legislators who will force the president to look out for U.S. interests first and reclaim our Republic.

Dick Rose

Oak Harbor