Inviting Disaster

Read this and we will comment below:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is telling Congress that deeper defense cuts would force the Pentagon to cut back ship and construction projects, furlough civilian workers and leave the military with the smallest force since 1940.

Panetta described the implications if a special congressional supercommittee fails to come up with a deficit-cutting plan by Nov. 23. On top of some $450 billion in defense cuts already under way, the Pentagon would face another $500 billion in reductions.

Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wrote to Panetta earlier this month, asking for details on the cut.

Panetta wrote back to the lawmakers Monday.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter.

Conservative Musings continues:

If the "Super Committee" makes these cuts and leaves our forces at 1940 levels (before Pearl Harbor and the subsequent buildup that had to be made to fight WWII), it will invite a disaster.  With this level of manpower, our enemies around the world would not hesitate to threaten, attack and harass us. We will be sitting ducks.
  It has always been my assertion that Japan would not have attacked had they known that we would rebuild our forces and equipment and rise up like we did. No one wants to fight a monster and the United States was a monster that when angered was able to destroy its enemies.
The difference between 1940 and now is that at that time we had little debt and could afford to mortgage the future to produce the materiel that was needed for the war effort. Additionally, we had plants that could be transformed from making refrigerators and cars to tanks and airplanes.  We do not have the plants nor the financial ability to either now.  The plants have been shipped offshore and we are drowning in debt now.
This will allow our enemies an open opportunity to take advantage of our weaknesses.  Do you want to have to concede to China, Iran or some tin-hatted demagogue because we cannot mount a defense?

If you have not already, I would suggest that you re-visit the fall of Rome. Its decline so closely resembles that of the United States.  They were the strongest country in the world, had troops all over the known world, its citizens were very comfortable and they were spending more than what was coming into the treasury. See any similarities?  They collapsed and so will we. Our legislators are only helping us along the way.

Can we stop it? Yes, but the pain would be too much for the average American. So in short, no, we cannot change the decline. When will it happen?  I have no idea, however, we have gone from a strong, independent nation with little debt to a much weaker, indebted one in 60 years. By the way, we have not WON a war since WWII.

 Our predictions are that within 20 years:
      the dollar will be supplanted with another currency as the world's standard;
     we will have a major military defeat that will result in our having to cede part of the United States to the conquering country;
     all retirement plans (401k, IRA, Roth, Pensions) will be seized by the government and rolled into the Social Security system to prevent its collapse;
     Taxes will be raised to over 50% without any deductions to pay the debt we have accumulated;
     Houses over a certain size will require more than one family. For example, if your house is over 3000 square feet, a minimum of 5 people must occupy it;
     Everyone will be required to own at least one car from one of the "saved" automobile companies;
    The government will require that everyone watch the nightly news so that all citizens can know what the administration is doing for them;
    Guns will be confiscated;
    No anti-government rallies will be allowed;
    The Constitution is rewritten to meet the new realities.

Ok, some of these are way out there! I know that. However, are they unrealistic, could they happen? I sure do hope not but the way I see the government going, very possible.

So what do you think could happen in the next 20 years?