Military force changes

On Dec 6, Army Gen. Charles Jacoby stepped down as head of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command. As quoted in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, newspaper The Gazette, his farewell speech included the following statements:

"So I think the uncertainty of the Budget Control Act continues to make strategic decision-making nearly impossible. I mean really meaningful strategic decision-making out to 2025, out to 2030 like we should be doing. Like the American people should expect us to be doing.

"In the past, we've had this offensive deterrence theory of mutually assured destruction, and we were all very comfortable with that. It's probably kept us out of World War III. But the world's changed, and that's rapidly becoming out of date. And I think that in the future we're going to need combinations of offense and defense to deter threats to the country."

The general's first statement is about the automatic budget cuts caused by sequestration. What he is saying is that the failure of the Congress to approve a complete federal budget is harming our nation's defense planning.

The second comment refers to the changing military threats we face. The historical position we have taken toward national defense is to be prepared for either a nuclear attack or a conventional war. Either of these two events would pit the United States against another nation, and either would result in a declaration of war. We also need to develop a long-term national strategy to combat militarized terrorist and criminal organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaida. Despite all the conflicts we have fought, the Congress has avoided a declaration of war since World War II.

ISIS is not a gang. It has financial resources in the billions of dollars and continuing income of millions from oil in areas they control, and they have established complete infrastructures in cities and towns under their control. In order to present a united front against these groups, we must formally declare war against them. A congressional authorization for the president to use military force is passing the buck and is an insufficient commitment to those being sent into combat. Congress should display the type of courage and commitment shown by those they send to fight.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He resides in Chaffee, Missouri.