As one who has served in the United States Navy, graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served as an intelligence officer in the United States Marine Corps, I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about issues of national security. I believe we must keep our military strong, agile and capable of responding to a wide variety of threats to national security.
But first, we must recognize that all of the federal government's responsibilities, including defending our freedom, will face an uncertain future absent a return to fiscal responsibility. In short, if America ceases to be the wealthiest country in the world, we will also cease to be the strongest country in the world.
Beyond our economic situation, we must make the necessary investments in our military to keep it strong. We cannot cut corners in protecting our citizens from nations or people who would do Americans harm. We must dedicate whatever resources it takes to keep our people safe and to protect our way of life.
As a final point of emphasis, we should remember that our military is ill-suited to address many of our international challenges. Thus, Congress must make it a priority to transform all of the instruments of national power to better address our 21st century challenges.