Issues Under Fire: The Unknown Cost of Flexing Military Muscle & Limiting "45"s Nuclear Strike Authority

 

Issues Under Fire: The Unknown Cost of Flexing Military Muscle & Limiting "45's" Nuclear Strike Authority

Hey, you're in luck today. We got two great stories to share with our readers and listeners for today's post and podcast. Unfortunately, it comes in the form of both good and bad news. The good news is, Congress is finally challenging the president's authority to launch a nuclear strike without some form of oversight. The bad news is, we have no idea how much it costs to send three carrier groups to the Korean Peninsula, just to threaten Kim Jung-un. So, let's dig in. We'll start with the good news first. 

Bob Corker, Senator from Tennessee, current chairman of the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations and outspoken critic of Donald Trump, has called for and got hearings started to examine the powers of the president to launch a nuclear strike without some form of oversight. This is a very good thing. Senator Corker has never been shy about expressing his concerns over Donald Trump's lack of discipline, knowledge base, mental stability and his documented penchant for pathological lying. And since these concerns have led him to question Trump's fitness to lead, it makes perfect sense to question whether Trump should be left alone with the nuclear codes.

When we checked, of all the nuclear armed nations (U.S., China, Russia, France, the U.K., India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea), the United States and North Korea are the only two that allow its leader to authorize a nuclear strike without debate or even review. To date, this has never been an issue, but now that the world has come to understand the nature and temperament of Donald Trump, many fear the day breaking news will announce the use of nuclear weapons against North Korea. If nothing is done to limit presidential powers to order such a regrettable action, it could happen at any moment.

Fortunately, there are a growing number of calls to address the dangers of one person holding the fate of the world in his hands. And this is a bipartisan effort. Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat from Connecticut, shared the following at the hearings: “We are concerned that the president of the United States is so unstable, is so volatile, has a decision-making process that is quixotic, that he might order a nuclear weapons strike that is wildly out of step with U.S. national security interests.” In our view, truer words have never been spoken. And if you agree with that assessment, then you'll probably agree that doing nothing is not an option. And that's a perfect segue into our next Issue Under Fire. The Hidden Cost of A Show of Force

If you accept the age old adage of "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" to be true, then we think it's time to examine the lunacy of spending untold billions of taxpayer dollars to flex U.S. military muscle against North Korea. Currently, three U.S. carrier strike groups are operating in the Pacific, specifically, to show North Korea what the United States is capable of militarily. What is a carrier strike group you ask? Well, per Wikipedia, it's composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft. A carrier strike group also, on occasion, includes submarines, attached logistics ships and a supply ship.

If this massive show of force sounds expensive, you're correct because it is. But the question we're most concerned with is, are the results of these actions worth the expense? After years of war games, thousands of practice sorties of F-15 jets and constant flybys of nuclear armed B-1 bombers in Kim Jong-un's back yard, none of these efforts have changed North Korea's quest to develop a strong nuclear deterrent to U.S. aggression. For all we know, Kim Jong-un could be laughing wildly watching the senseless waste of U.S. resources. Fully aware there's no viable military option to confront or control nuclear weapons development in his country, Kim can continue conducting tests to his heart's desire. So, when all is said and done, one has to ask, who's the crazy one, Kim or Trump? BTW, that's a rhetorical question.

Bottom line: These are dark and dangerous times we live in today and having a thin skinned, narcissistic, egomaniac in the Oval Office considering the nuclear option, only exacerbates the world's predicament. Fortunately, there's hope. There's Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and there's the upcoming 2018 elections to look forward to. We're certain either will be the beginning of the end for Donald J. Trump, Madman Extraordinaire. Podcast Below