Opinion : Letter to the Editor: Where are we as a Superpower

Editor:

I am paraphrasing the following editorial from The Air Force Association Magazine.  As many readers know I was a member of the Air Force and jet Pilot from November 1963 and released from active service December 1968. 

Editorial by Tobias Naegele

“Trust is the foundation of all relationships ……. Once trust is broken confidence is lost.

In Afghanistan, when Bagram Air Base was shut down and American Airpower was removed, the Afghani military quit.  Lacking trust in their own government and abandoned by the US Forces that had made them successful, they no longer believed they could prevail. 

Notwithstanding the heroic noncombatant evacuation operation led by the U.S. Air Force and supported by NATO allies and civilian volunteers, what the world witnessed was a global superpower making a hasty and humiliating withdrawal  ‘(read disgraceful RETREAT)’ from Kabal, capitulating to the demands of a rag-tag Taliban gaggle that waited out the American occupation.  Every one of our allies had to wonder what this portends for their own alliance.  We will feel the repercussions for decades. “

(President Biden has blamed The Previous President, Donald Trump, for giving him a “hand” he could not play.  That is pure balderdash.  If he didn’t like the agreement left him it was up to him and him only to change the ‘deal’.  As to the disgraceful evacuation of our Armed Forces, any soldier or airman no matter how junior would have taken our equipment out, then citizens and allies, out before the trigger pullers.  I saw pictures of the hundreds if not thousands of small arms left behind; many in plastic containers that were the same containers as when I purchased my Beretta 92FS (better known as an M-9 -9 MM semi-auto pistol.  These were brand new never fired – yee gods!  Also thousands of M-4 battle 5.56 NATO caliber rifles and all the aircraft -$85 billion.)  To continue:

“Now we have a common foe again.

China is no longer just a rising economic power but a real and present danger – to its neighbors to American interests, and to America itself.  Air Force and Space Force leaders drummed that point home throughout the AFA’s (Air Force Association) Air, Space, & Cyber conference last month, with photographs and videos to prove their point.  Missile silos, weaponized satellites, stealth jets, hypersonic missiles, man-made military islands, and advanced artificial intelligence are all elements of a Chinese arsenal purpose-built to counter U.S. Capabilities.” (much or most stolen from our defense contractors.  And many dollars by NBA, Nike, Hunter B. and his brother – man this stinks! – and not to forget big Democrat donors!)

(Thirteen years ago Defense Secretary Robert Gates derided the tendency toward what was called “next war it-is”.  He therefore directed that further production of F-22 fighter aircraft be stopped.  The Air Force ended up with only half of the requested number – 387.  This means that the majority of our fighter fleet are F-16, F-15, and A-10’s.  These aircraft are 40 years since first flight and are likely obsolete compared to Gen 5 fighters.   I might add there are these aircraft are being air refueled by KC-135 aircraft – the aircraft I flew while on active duty – now more than 50 years ago.)  Continuing:

“Gates’ failure to see into the future grew from a refusal to trust his Air Force commanders.  Gates was frustrated by the cost of building more F-22s, which he thought were not worth the treasure they would cost to build.  Then, three weeks after the ‘next-war-it is’ speech, he beheaded the Air Force by firing, at once both Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.   While the trigger was a series of nuclear security failures, the cause was their persistent and increasingly public objection to the risk he was incurring with regard to China.  

With hindsight, it’s clear that Wynne and Moseley were correct and that Gates was naïve.  It’s also clear the damage goes beyond a lack of airplanes.  An entire generation of (military) leaders grew up convinced that speaking truth to power doesn’t pay.”  (The purge continued during the Obama years as many flag officers were fired or retired due to disagreements of tactics and strategy with civilian heads.) 

“Now we face our worst strategic crisis since the Cold War.  Not only does China possess fifth-generation jets of its own, but it also boasts the biggest air force in the region.  By contrast, the U.S. Air Force is saddled with non-stealthy F-15, F-16, and A-10s that make up 80% of its fighter force, aircraft that will be almost worthless in a high-end fight.  Now America is ‘out of time’ as Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said at the Air, Space, & Cyber conference last month.  China is maturing and advancing far faster than the United States………..Trust is essential to preserving public confidence in our military which rightfully remains among our nation’s most trusted institutions.  That trust is not a given, but earned.”  (This only a portion of the editorial, but I hope you get the point!)

(We as a people seem to be attracted to one shiny object after another; our attention span is short!  Defund police, rioters and looters not prosecuted, Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, Men who identify as women rape girls in the locker room, Black on Black crime and murder,  trucks driven by mad men running down innocent parade watchers, our President calling a 17 year old a “White Supremacist” without any evidence or knowledge of the incident.  The words of Prophet Isaiah, 8th century BC true to this day:  Isaiah 5,20

They say that what is right is wrong, and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.

I feel we as a superpower are close to losing that status.  Our enemies are getting stronger and more bold -- China #1, then Russia, Iran, and last but not least North Korea.  I fear we cannot count on the Biden Administration to be bold enough to stand up to the above.  I pray I am wrong.

America needs an awakening before it too late.  My time is running out – who of our many readers will stand up for good over evil for Democracy over Marxist Socialism?  Don’t let me down!

May our gracious God have mercy on us and give us protection from our enemies now and forever.   

Regards,

John Stiegelmeyer