American military power?

The question mark is there for a reason.  This past Sunday the New York Times devoted a full 14 pages to a subject entitled “Overmatched.”  The subtitle was “Why the U.S. Military Needs to Reinvent Itself.”  The lead article noted that U.S. military dominance was fading.  It is obvious that military weaponry and strategies are changing fast.  In the last few days an underwater drone sent by the Ukrainians destroyed a Russian submarine.  Guided drones can take out large tanks and perhaps aircraft carriers.

Many of the materials needed for modern warfare must be imported.  The U.S. builds very few ships.  We do not have the capacity to outbuild China, although we do when combined with our allies.  Oh, wait, do we even have allies anymore?  

Our R&D is suffering as universities are belittled and foreign scientists are refused visas or kicked out of he country.  Women in the military are downgraded.  Experienced generals are fired.  National guard forces are demoralized, used for immigrant roundups.  And the Secretary of Defense–excuse me, Secretary of War–is an alcoholic who thinks blowing up fishing boats and killing survivors shows how tough we are.  

We are in trouble.