American Power and Influence on the World Stage

 The United States has maintained a forward presence over much of the globe since the end of WW II. Japan, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Philippines, United Kingdom, Turkey, and other locations where we based forces and facilities, along with fleets of ships year round for just over 70 years. Through the years we and the other WW II allies managed to rebuild Germany and Japan into stable democratic partners and global economic powers. Other nations have dwindled in the extent of their military power but maintained their strategic value, the United Kingdom for example.
 This power projection on the part of our Navy Fleets and physical presence in Germany, Japan, and South Korea, have been the basis of keeping the free world, freedom seeking and emerging nations, at some degree of security to seek some form of independence.
 All the while, there has been unending strife, wars, police actions, famines, coups, invasions, ongoing across all the decades. In the majority of these outbreaks, the US responded in some fashion. These responses over the years have cost lives of US citizens, servicemen and women, and untold billions of dollars. The economic cost also included lost opportunities to invest more money into our own national interests and reduce the tax burden levied to support the military and foreign aid to nations in crisis.
 Despite the immense cost in lives, treasure and lost opportunities for our own people, these national defense efforts, and the clear commitment of the US to stand behind our allies have preserved the free world from far greater consequences and helped minimize the danger to all mankind.
 We have not always decided wisely, nor have we always been successful in achieving the desired result of our actions. But, if not us, whom?
 Finally, to the point. All these years of deciding what to do, where and how to do it, how much and how long to do it, and with whom to do it or be able to count on to support the US, takes a leader and decision  maker who is of the most thoughtful and considering nature. Someone who works at knowing what is going on the world over, up to date and schooled by their Presidential briefings and their own inquiring minds. Someone who is thinking and caring about everyone else and not himself or herself, a cool and level headed man or woman who will balance all and come to a decision that leads to decisive action and positive results with consideration for all the risks and cost. A leader who will stand by their decision no matter what the consequences. The leader who will decide these matters of great import to the US, our allies, and all of the nations of the world, is not Donald Trump, of that I am absolutely sure. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Growing Up a Navy Junior. 1947-1965

Image
Growing Up a Navy Junior    I was born during the early post World War II years, 1947. I was the second try as my mother had a miscarriage something I only learned of very late in my life. That kind of thing was ordinary but just not spoken about. Glad my parents kept trying. The post-war mood of America was one of huge relief that the war was over and exuberance that the allies had won, and the future looked safer for all peoples. There was so much going on in the US with demand for workers and farmers to get back to building and producing, and to feeding the population. American industry and agriculture quickly became a major economic force involved in supporting and providing resources to the rebuilding of nations that had been devastated by the Axis countries in Europe and Asia. My father had decided to remain in the Navy and continue to serve as a Line Officer in the Surface Warfare branch. His assignment at the time of my birth was Aide to the Commandant of the Third Naval Distri
Read more

Keeping Busy As A Substitute Teacher

 Assignment recently in Civics class, 7th graders. Studying the American colonial days of the 1600s and early 1700s. I did some enrichment research to explain about indentured servitude. Introduction Although it most famously appeared during the 17th century as a means for facilitating transatlantic migration and providing labor in England’s early American colonies, indentured servitude has manifested itself in many forms during its long history. Indentured servants were individuals who bargained away their labor for a period of four to seven years in exchange for passage to the New World. In the 17th century, indentured servants made up the mass of English immigrants to the Chesapeake colonies and were central to the development of the tobacco economy. Large numbers of indentured servants could also be found in the English West Indian colonies, but they were replaced by enslaved African laborers by the end of the century as cash-crop agriculture (particularly sugar) and plantation sla
Read more

Blue and Gold Officer Summer Training - July 2010

Image
As a Naval Academy Information Officer, I am a volunteer working for the Admissions Office at United States Naval Academy. Specifically, I am assigned to assist high school students with the application process for admission to the Academy. The process is far more involved than for normal college and university admissions. Not only does the candidate have to complete an admissions package for the Academy, he or she has to also seek a nomination from a congressmen or apply for a Presidential nomination if their parent(s) are veterans. So, so called Blue and Gold Officer volunteers, some 2000 plus in all states and overseas, assist the candidates and do personal interviews as part of the admissions process. I really enjoy doing this, the students are among the best in their classes and highly motivated and accomplished individuals willing to experience the service academy life and to serve their country as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps.  This July 18th, I will depart for a summ
Read more