Governor Sarah Palin Criticizes Defense Cuts
Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska and former vice-presidential candidate, criticized the Obama administration’s defense cuts to Alaska’s defense program. The president intends to reduce missile interceptors in Alaska and California from 44 to 30.
Palin said, “Reducing Alaska’s defense readiness in these perilous times is a show of weakness, it is not a sign of strength…And yet, Washington thinks it’s best now to actually cut defense spending in Alaska by hundreds of millions of dollars. Now that is an odd priority there.”
Palin is hardly alone in criticizing defense cuts. Republican members of Congress have been speaking publicly and publishing op-eds in mainstream publications. Between the president’s lukewarm support for strong missile defense and his unnerving tendency to want to hold talks with rogue nations, it’s no wonder North Korea has resolved to continue nuclear tests and missile launches.
While the president downplays the threat and cuts funding, North Korea is more determined than ever to launch missiles. Aviation Week reports that North Korea is preparing more launches. In fact, the rogue state has threatened war if other countries perform the duty of searching North Korean ships for contraband. An excerpt:
“The latest predictions point to additional medium-range, Rodong-class missile firings from North Korea’s Anbyon base on the east coast and a long-range missile (larger than the Taepodong-2) launch from Dongchangri on the northwest coast near the border with China…U.S. officials contend that international agitation and the threat of conflict is North Korea’s only tool to promote the country’s relevance and that Pyongyang doesn’t want war.”
Is it wise to base policy on what we think North Korea may or may not want?
(Source: Political Ticker and Aviation Week)
Tags: Alaska, California, North Korea, Sarah Palin, Taepodong-2