Sen. Cruz: We Should Not Cut Our Military Force in the Face of Grave Threats Around the World
Need for a strong national defense is greater than any time in recent history
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement regarding the Pentagon’s announcement of cuts to our nation’s military force levels:
“As directed by the President, the Army announced it will reduce its force level to 450,000 soldiers by the end of fiscal year 2017. Despite the increasing threats to our national security, this Administration is doubling down on the arbitrary and destructive cuts to our military that have characterized the last six and a half years. Our national priorities, our global and economic influence, and the foremost Constitutional responsibility of homeland security are all supported by our military capabilities -- and the truth of the matter is that this President’s policies have made our need for our military ever greater. Russian aggression in Eastern Europe, radical Islamic terrorism throughout the Middle East, China’s forcible expansion of its territory in the South China Sea, and a pending deal with Iran that will provide the Islamic Republic with the resources and time to develop a nuclear weapon are all more pressing threats than they were when the Obama Administration took office. And all of them are reasons to, at a minimum, maintain the current force structure, if not increase it. Yet the Commander in Chief chooses this moment to separate 40,000 additional soldiers from the United States Army. My home state of Texas will unfortunately bear some of this burden; 4,898 soldiers and their families will get caught up in President Obama’s quest for a short-sighted political legacy.
“To make the planned reductions even more troubling, the modernization of our capabilities and operational readiness are also suffering, which will place the lives of our soldiers at greater risk the next time they are deployed in combat. In addition, our reductions have not encouraged similar disarmament among forces hostile to the United States, who are building up their militaries at an alarming rate. I will continue to support legislation that increases the strength of our national security and oppose increased domestic spending that is bankrupting our nation. We need to rebuild our military in this time of global insecurity, not hasten its demise.”
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