More
HenchPAC NewsWASHINGTON–U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, today blasted Al Gore for again failing to tell the truth to the American people about military readiness in last night's nationally televised presidential debate.
"Now, readiness," Gore said. "The trends before...I got my current job were on the decline. The number of divisions were reduced. I argued that we should reverse that trend and take it back up. And I'm happy to tell you that we have."
"This statement is so incredibly false and deceitful that it virtually defies belief that anyone in a position of responsibility would dare make it," Inhofe said. "It is an insult to the intelligence and sensibility of every American who is associated with the military and concerned about its future welfare. If Mr. Gore will not speak candidly about the state of our armed forces, he simply does not deserve to be president."
"The number of active Army divisions today (10) is down from what it was at the end the Bush administration (12), and it has not been taken ‘back up' as Gore claims. Similarly, the number of Air Force air wings is down from 15 to 13 and Navy ships are down from 450 to 311.
"Clinton and Gore have not reversed any trend in the decline of military readiness and force strength. They have greatly exacerbated it--through reduced budgets, increased deployments, and grossly inadequate attention to long-term modernization needs.
Expected post Cold War reductions started in the Bush Administration were hugely and irresponsibly accelerated in the Clinton-Gore administration. As a result, overall force strength today is about 40 percent smaller than it was in 1990 while deployments have increased by 400 percent.
Slight increases in defense spending in the last year were instigated by Congress, not by the White House.
"Gore's irresponsibly false statements last night are symptomatic of an administration which has decimated the military and governed through deceit. It is a destructive legacy which is going to be soundly rejected by the American people."
Hench adds: Damn, Inhofe is pissed!
More
HenchPAC News
[ Home ] [ News ] [ Products ]
To leave HENCH a message,
comment, or link: