PAX Centurion - January / February 2014

Page 14 • PAX CENTURION • January/February 2014 617-989-BPPA (2772) Veteran’s Corner: Patrick M. Rose Looking at Obama’s ‘flexibility’ F irst, let me state publically to those that previously followed myVeteran’s Corner articles with interest, I apologize. I apologize for not submitting my articles to the new PAX Magazine for publication. I was so wrapped up in actually getting the new format and magazine style off the ground and published, that I allowed myself to be swayed by certain individuals that don’t neces- sarily agree with some of my political viewpoints. I allowed myself to be talked into reaching out to others to write the ‘Veteran’s Corner,’ to no avail I might add. After much consternation and deliberation, I have decided to continue the ‘Corner’ and share my pointed military beliefs, opinions and views with you regardless, unless the readership ask me to put down my pen. After all, I am a retired military veteran of twenty-two years and feel that I am amply qualified to speak on national and international politics and current events from a military standpoint. I will once again solicit help and suggestions from you, the reader and military veterans that serve the Boston Police Department. With that in mind, let’s have at it. If you remember back toApril of 2012, I wrote an article concerning our President’s guarantee to the Russian Federation that he could be more “flexible” with the Russians after he was re-elected. Everyone should remember the ‘hot mic’ incident back in 2012 when Barack Obama plead with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to give him time until the election. I’ve included the first paragraph of that article to refresh your collective memories: March 26, 2012 in Seoul, South Korea, the day the world heard the truth from his own lips: “On all these issues, but particularly mis- sile defense, this, this can be solved, but it’s important for him to give me space,” Obama was overheard saying. Then his Russian counter- part and apparent friend Dmitry Medvedev stated “Yeah, I understand your message about space, space for you.” Obama went on to state “This is my last election, after my election, I have more flexibility”. “I understand” stated Medvedev, he continued “I will transmit this information toVladimir,” of course referring to Putin who is and has been the real ruler of Russia continuously for over the last decade. This conversation was overheard by the world press; our President apparently forgot to turn off his microphone while he was bargaining away the future security of our country. Unlike so many of Obama’s promises, he is keeping that one. After the election, he promised Vladimir Putin, through Medvedev, he would be more “flexible.” Now we get to see this flexibility. Barack Obama is continuing to approve the spending of almost $700 million dollars of taxpayer money to buy Russian helicopters for theAfghanAir Force, even after Congress openly questioned the purchase. But wait; just like those TV commercials, there’s more it gets better. When Congress passed the 2013 National DefenseAuthoriza- tionAct, it had an interesting provision. Congress included, as a part of that law, a prohibition on the United States buying helicopters from Rosoboronexport, the Russian manufacturer of the MI-17 helicopter. ( You see, there actually were a couple members of Congress paying attention .)A few astute members saw the original 1.1 billion dollar line item in the pentagon budget, slated to be handed off to the Russian Federation. They questioned why we weren’t buyingAmerican, why not US made helicopters, why give money to the most corrupt military in the world? Those questions, in of themselves should have been sufficient. Unfortunately, as always happens when such laws are passed, Congress always gives the regime an escape hatch. The law stated that Obama could buy fromRosoboronexport if the Secretary of Defense certified it was in the interest of National Security. And of course, the new Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, ( friend of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and Russia ) a man committed to destroying the US military, immediately signed off on that certification. Where do we even start with this one? Congress is outraged over this with Senators and Representa- tives from both parties writing letters concerning this purchase. Of course, this is Congress’ fault for allowing a law to be written with such an escape hatch. Based on all of the media attention, letter writing and calls for investigation, the Pentagon (with permission, I’m sure) finally relented and cut the purchase from the original 1.1 billion, refused to purchase an additional 15 helicopters that were ordered and settled with gifting the corrupt Russian military machine approximately $700,000,000.00. Please note that these funds are in ad- dition to the tens of millions of dollars that our country has already spent buying Russian military equipment for Afghanistan. More importantly, Americans need to be asking just what the hell the Obama regime is doing. Why are we spending $700 million dollars with a Russian arms manufacturer?Why are we even giving theAfghans these helicopters? If we are going to give them helicopters, which we really shouldn’t, then why not purchase and give themAmerican made helicopters and put Americans to work? If we are going to give theAfghans Russian helicopters, why not get them used ones? There are hundreds of used MI-17 helicopters floating around the world. Why are we paying to give theAfghans brand new helicopters? In the era of the sequester, isn’t there something better we can do with $700 million?American medicare cancer patients are being turned away from hospitals and are being denied life saving treatment because of budget cuts. TheAmerican military is being gutted to the point of ineffectiveness because of budget cuts. In 2013, the United States Air Force grounded 17 squadrons because of a $600 million dollar budget cut. There are plans on separating thousands of airmen for future bud- get cuts. Our ownAir Force is not able to perform its mission because it lacks the money to fly, but we have the money to giveAfghanistan $700 million dollars in Russian helicopters. Military retiree pensions and services are being cut by 10 billion dollars over the next decade and I don’t even want to start on the projected future cuts to our Armed Forces! Is this where Barack Obama thinks we should spend our money? How much more are we going to spend on a country that wants us out, how much more money are we going to take away from our own defense force to supplement the likes of Russia, Afghanistan, Iran and the others of their ilk? Enough is enough! It’s bad enough that the law enforcement community has to put up with Eric Holder and his antics, now our military has to answer to Chuck Hagel, unbe- lievable. The security of this nation is on thin ice. Next article we’ll critique our new Secretary of State, John F. Kerry, it just keeps getting better and better!!!