In this video, journalist Chris Wallace takes issue with GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s pledge that he would “carpet bomb ISIS to oblivion,” pointing out that ISIS fighters have embedded themselves in civilian populations where they can’t be bombed without causing massive civilian casualties. (In effect, they’re using civilians as human shields.)
After stumbling over this tactical issue, Cruz then lambastes President Obama the U.S. has fewer planes and ships than in 1991. And while he didn’t mention it, the U.S. has massively fewer plans and ships than in 1945. The main reason is one B-1 bomber armed with precision munitions can do the work of a hundred or more B-29s, and one modern ballistic missile submarine packs more explosive punch than all of our armies, navies, and air forces in World War 2 put together. Apparently he doesn’t realize that military technology hasn’t stood still since 1945 or 1991, and today’s weapons are a lot more efficient, so we need fewer of them.
But it seems all of this is lost on Ted Cruz, is over his head, is beyond his ken. Which raises this question: Is he someone we want making ultimate military decisions? Shouldn’t the job of commander in chief require a working knowledge of current military capabilities and needs? Would you hire someone to run a major business who knows nothing about how production methods and distribution systems have changed since 1991? I sure wouldn’t.