The Big Sticks

The history of the world has always been written in blood. Blood spilled through countless acts of aggression, greed and lust. Man’s unquenchable thirst for power, control and wealth has once again thrust humanity onto the brink of falling back into the caves of the Neanderthal. As we have entered another age of technological marvels where man has invented newer, faster and more expedient ways of destruction we’d be mindful that with all this new technology there is still a vital contingency where the innovations of the past will once again prove invaluable in securing their place to ensure that mankind does not fall into the abyss of caves.

Today, the United States still has the best equipped Military in the world. But, unfortunately our budget cutting bloodhounds of financial wizardly have continued to have misplaced priorities when it comes to our nations national security and defense. The mistakes made from the Korean War up until today in regards to our military involvements has only proven to be most incompetent. The only bright spot came during the first Gulf War. Even that was no great victory for the American military and the American public. We have continued to send our armed forces into combat situations knowing full well our support systems from the Veterans Administration care for returning servicemen to our combat preparedness when sending troops in harms way have been ill equipped from the very start. Aside from that our military missions have all been clouded by a reluctance to actually strive for a complete victory. It is no wonder then that ever since the end of World War II the United States really hasn’t been victorious in so many of our military involvements. We have failed to heed the warnings of General MacArthur.

In so many of our military interventions where amphibious landings have been required the results have been disastrous, mainly because of the lack of support. Another contingency not to over look is that it has become know that other countries like China and Russia have been designing EMP weapons for the sole purpose to disable opposing forces radars, communications, computers and all other modern day electronics. In the event of an EMP attack whether it is from a rouge nation, terrorist organization or from the Sun today’s technology is vulnerable if we don’t harden our energy grid, our electronic systems of today and have the availability of the technology and weaponry of the mid 20th century.

All of this brings us to the point that in the event of such an EMP attack and in the interest of national security it is imperative that our military especially the Navy has within their means to retool a class of ships that have proven time and time again more than capable of exceeding expectations when lives and our armed forces are on the line. With today’s threats having the USS Iowa and the USS Wisconsin retooled with the capabilities that would enable them to carry on with the nations defense will save lives and will have a carry a strong physiological message. Having both the capabilities of yesterdays military complements and today’s modern weaponry these ships will prove not only cost effective but more importantly they will once again remind Americans of the sacrifices that our military has made in preserving the cause of freedom and democracy. Where ever these ships are needed will send a clear message that the philosophy of Teddy Roosevelt in regards to our foreign policy still remains.

Many of our military involvements have been the off of coastal waters which have always been the most treacherous and dangerous for the US Armed Forces. The lack of support for these offensives has been the result that unwillingness of government and the Navy to reactivate the two remaining Iowa Class Battleships. As a result thousands of Marines and sailors lives still in jeopardy. In the eventuality of an amphibious landing becomes necessary today too many of our Armed Forces would loose their lives needlessly. The United States Navy should not overlook this startling inadequacy, the consequences are far too great.

Today, it is well known that not only the Marines, but the rest of our armed forces miss the Iowa-class battleships. The necessity of battleships is unquestionable. But, with the way our congressional leaders continue to vote point out that cost constraints have always trumped the safety of our armed forces doing their job. Someone once pointed out referring to actual combat situations that when your back is to the sea and you have nowhere to go with the enemy closing in then battleships are no longer a luxury but a necessity. And if the weather or an EMP disruption prohibit air support it is the battleship that makes the difference between life and death. To further the cause to re commission the Iowa and the Missouri the funding is considerably less than what is spent on the latest new Navy ship. Today, the USS Gerald Ford cost close to $13 Billion compared to refitting an Iowa class battleship of under $440 million. The new Zumwalt class ships costs over $12 Billion apiece and would be ineffective when faced with an EMP attack like all other modern warships in service now.

The cost in not only lives that would be saved and having the capabilities to overcome many adverse conditions that would prohibit other warships from operating the re commissioning and refitting of the two remaining Iowa class battleships is essential to securing the nations national security. It is time to use what worked in the past with integrating the technologies of today to protect and preserve the future for us all. The Battleship of yesterday will once again become an internal part of today’s US Navy. These battleships are an absolute necessity to today’s and tomorrow’s Navy. It is their versatile, ruggedness and powerful weapon systems that makes these “Big Sticks” the perfect compliment for our Armed Forces. We cannot allow to have our armed forces face needless casualties because of our present policy in the sole reliance of modern day military hardware and technology. The US Navy must reactivate the two remaining Iowa-class battleships now, before the inevitable.