Show Your Man ManIn ManIn ManIn In Washington By US U.S. Senator Orrin G. G Hatch Carters Carter's National Defense Policy Lets Let's take a look at atthe atthe atthe the Carter record on national national national na na- defense and military affairs On May Major General John Chief of Staff of U US U.S. 5 Forces Korea was removed from his command command com cone mand for suggesting that a total ground troop withdrawal from South Korea would lead to war On June 2nd as recently recently recently re re- re- re reported in a Jack Anderson column this Senator received a letter from the President promising promising promising promis promis- ing that the incident incident inci inci- dent was not intended to muzzle independent military thinking The President assured the people people peo peo- pie of Utah that his administration administration administration ad ad- ministration will not stifle stifle sti stifle sti- sti dissent Two weeks later on June Lieutenant General Donn Starry was reprimanded at the Pentagon Pentagon Pentagon Pen Pen- tagon because he suggested suggested suggested sug sug- in a graduation address address address ad ad- dress to the Frankfurt American High School in Germany that the US U.S. might someday be en- en snarled in a conflict between between between bet bet- Red China and Russia On J June President President President dent Carter stopped funding funding funding fun fun- ding for the Bl BI bomber The decision was a complete complete complete com com- surprise Even the national news media reported the President would approve limited funding for the bomber in order to retain a negotiable option for the SALT talks They TIley were obviously mistaken The TIle Bl Dl bomber is no longer an element of our national defense system One week later on July the Secretary of Defense under orders from the President closed the production line for the Minuteman missile system A major portion of that missile funding went to Utah Without the funding funding funding fun fun- ding the Minuteman III is no longer a part of our defense system These seemingly unrelated unrelated unrelated un un- related events when considered considered considered con con- together give a pretty clear picture of the Presidents big stick strategy for dealing with the US U.S. military community com com- By intimidation the President has signalled to the military that he will allow no or second second se se- cond guessing of his policy judgements Then with the experts properly notified not to cross the in Commander he began routinely to dismantle disman disman- tle tie the national defense system And finally by cutting cutting cutting cut cut- ting strategic arms before the commencement of the SALT talks the Carter administration has signalled signalled sig silt nailed that this nation is adequately defended and will continue to weaken its national defense posture through downward negotiation negotiation negotiation ne ne- ne- ne in meetings with our potential advisory |