by B. R. GOWANI
Aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford (Mar. 2, 2017) Sailors and shipyard workers awaiting the arrival of President Donald J. Trump watch the president’s helicopter land on a large display in the hanger bay on board the soon-to-be commissioned aircraft carrier at the Huntington Ingalls Shipyard Newport News Shipyard. PHOTO/Mark D. Faram/Staff/Navy Times
Many people have a fascination for military related things and people; the allure is greater for power hungry lot who wants to project power. Remember the then President George W. Bush’s 2003 Mission Accomplished spectatle, referring to his war against Iraq, on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Well, after that the guerilla war began. Just yesterday, President Donald Trump visited an aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. Trump was given a navy jacket for which he felt honored.
“They said, here, Mr. President, please take this home. I said, let me wear it.”
So he wore that jacket and also the cap given to him. (Bush junior had donned a flight suit when he emerged from the plane which landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln.)
President Trump gestures as he speaks to Navy and shipyard personnel aboard nuclear aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., March 2, 2017. PHOTO/AP Photo/Steve Helber/Military
In his first address to a Joint Session of Congress, on February 28, 2017, Trump talked about an increase in the US defense budget:
“I am sending Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.”
But why an increase?
In 2015, the United States spent $596 billionn on its war-called-defense budget, which is, 36% of the military spending worldwide or almost the combined war budgets of the next eight highest spending countries. Trump wants to increase it by $54 billion!
But who’s the enemy or enemies?
The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) was the main enemy during the Cold War period which ended in 1991 with the demise of USSR. The Democratic Party, the Hillary Clinton campaign, and the Obama administration loved to portray Russia as an enemy, and even now, the Democratic Party and most of the news media, not to forget some of the Republicans, love to do the same. It’s different though with Trump. Prior to election and post election, Trump has maintained that he doesn’t mind good relations with Russia and it’s leader Vladimir Putin (who is more pragmatic in maintaining relations with Muslim countries than Trump). Which is very good. Friendly relations between two big powers is a fine news for peace.
During his election campaign, and even after winning, Trump criticized China for US economic woes. Then in the first half of February this year, “lengthy phone call” with President Xi Jinping of China changed that. Prior to that, Trump was awarded a 10-year trademark for his business activities. So no war, verbal/real, with China.
Who’s left? The Muslim terrorists of ISIS and other outfits who commit barbaric acts to create fear in people where they rule. These horrible people are no threat to the United States or any other Western countries.
But it’s a surreal reality that Trump, instead of spending $54 billion on repairing the infrastructure and creating jobs which he had promised to people, is going to give away taxpayers’ money to giant armament companies.
(House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain are a step ahead of Trump: they’re promoting much more spending than Trump. McCain sees fire everywhere.
“With a world on fire, America cannot secure peace through strength with just 3 percent more than President Obama’s budget. We can and must do better.”
In that fire, McCain is going to cook his steak which he’ll be getting from the merchants of death – arms manufacturers.)
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com