I’ve long thought that the Navy has been adrift in the DOD sea for a while now– risk averse, politically correct and chasing after strange gods. Here are a few recent pieces that tend to support my beliefs:
The first is a skewering of the “Great Green Fleet” and its predictable implications. “For the surface Navy, an effective way to cut fuel consumption would be to remain pierside. While fighting wars, however, cutting corners and decreasing underway training time can cost lives. Metaphorical sweaters and cold showers decrease the Navy’s capability and do not meet the secretary’s intent.” Not good. You know who doesn’t have designs on cutting corners and decreasing underway training time? The Chinese Navy, that’s who.
Next is this debacle: “US Destroyer Hits Japanese Tanker.” At-sea collisions have never been un-heard-of, but am I correct in thinking that they’ve been more common of late? And am I far off base when I suggest that risk-aversion and a cost-cutting mentality that decreases underway time almost inevitably result in ships that can’t keep station without becoming menaces to navigation?? You know who’s laughing about this? The Chinese Navy, that’s who. Laughing and taking notes.
Finally, there’s this: “Ambitious Diplomacy, Fading Firepower.”
The unchecked ambition and material weakness of Obama’s diplomacy have opened up still wider breaches in U.S. defense policies. Obama announced belatedly, in January 2012, strategic defense guidance that no longer supports two wars simultaneously in the Middle East and Asia. He then ordered a “pivot” of American military forces to Asia — which will eventually deploy 60 percent of American ships to the Pacific — at the very moment his administration was ratcheting up sanctions and positioning additional naval forces against Iran in the Persian Gulf. The implausibility of cutting and increasing forces at the same time escapes no one. Obama has to protest that “reductions in U.S. defense spending will not — I repeat, will not — come at the expense of the Asia Pacific.” And he restates his determination to defend Israel by adding, “I don’t bluff,” as if someone doing the counting might wonder how he will defend Israel and pivot to Asia at the same time.”
The United States is still a maritime nation, and still must patrol and secure the great global commons. We can’t do that when the fleet is pierside, critical seas are left ignored, and the ships that do sortie can’t keep station effectively. The Navy needs to harden the F up. What will be the cost of that? And who’ll do it?
As we have seen many times, Pres Obama says one thing and does another. More like a pivot from our responsibilities. After the ongoing GWOT (or whatever the hell is the term now being used) is over, there will be some hard decisions to be made, especially in regards to funding. Additionally the navy will continue to short-change the gator fleet in order to pay for their expensive flat-tops and the F-35.
What happens in a year or two when the Islamists in Egypt decide to abrogate the peace treaty with Israel? Will the rest of the Gulf States want/allow U.S. forces to remain in their countries? As it is Saudi Arabia is hosting the Iranian president, Ahmden-a-nutjob for an Islamic summit.
Interesting times are a-coming.
Blaming this on the president is kind of silly, don’t you think? I think the Navy has a risk-adverse culture because they have too few ships–and more expensive ships–and too many officers who do not spend time at sea. A successful naval officer spends about half his or her career in Washington, which is not conducive to building a strong force of seagoing officers. More, cheaper ships and more sea time for officers would go a long way to reducing the kinds of issues this post raises.
Is not the Commander in Chief responsible for everything his armed forces do and fail to do? We teach Sergeants and Second Lieutenants to be…
Seems there is another navy that is not quite as concerned with promoting the gay lifestyle or this and that minority month… the Russians.
http://freebeacon.com/silent-running/
The accusation can be made, fairly, that the cost of the logistics of the great shift alone will eat up DoN’s budget for the next four years. Add to that the cost of integrating comms, HQ/”Hat” overlap, and ever-growing desperation competition of the air arms to make do with grounded Raptors and justifying which engine to use in the F-35 (is one gauche after Labor Day?), and the eternal purchase of C-130s and DoN will have to ask the Coast Guard for the loan of a fleet. The PLAN will love this. After all, 60% of diddly-squat is a handful of undersized combat groups.
The accusation can be made, fairly, that this grand shift is a shell game that will leave two of the three remaining major naval theaters (the Atlantic [North, Middle, South], the Med, the Indian Ocean) uncovered, much to the delight of the Russians. That’s assuming, of the remaining 40%, there are enough ships to keep a combat group on station.
Instead of playing shell games, why not just detonate the PRC economy? The resulting implosion will take the Norks, the PLA/N/AF, and northern and central South America (the Bolivarians), and Chicago with it.
This is what happens when the military overall is forced to implement one Political Correctness program after another instead of focusing on their primary jobs. Sailors spend so much time with additional training that has no use in combat it’s not even funny. Heck, when I was active Navy and we were in the bleedin’ Gulf supporting shore activities for the Marines there would constantly be various sensitivity classes we had to attend.
Been saying for years that China will be the next big threat to us when they start building up their Navy, and lo and behold here it comes! People can call us imperialistic and say we’re patrolling areas that aren’t our responsibility but of all the nations of the world we’re one of the few that actually ensures free use of international waters. The Chinese on the other hand just start claiming everything as theirs, as recent activity has shown.
I do agree on the pathetic lack of training and at-sea time of our ships, and the officers in charge in particular. Unless you’re a doc or a pilot what the heck do you need to be on shore for when you’re in the dang NAVY?!