"This means our U.S. Marine Corps is being cut by 8,000 personnel fewer than previously planned [...] This severe reduction in the Marine Corps force is the minimum acceptable force according to the warning given Congress"
Wait a minute... if the Marine Corps is cut by 8,000 FEWER soldiers then planned, wouldn't that mean they actually KEPT 8,000 soldiers who they had planned to cut?
For example, hypothetically speaking, let's say they had planned to kick 50,000 soldiers out of the Marine Corps, but instead they only kicked out 42,000. That would mean their numbers were cut by 8,000 FEWER than planned. In other words, the actual reduction in force was LESS severe than the original plan.
They have advocated getting to 186,800. Due to budget cuts, they thought in April they would need to take it down to 182,100. Now they thing they need to go lower than that.
There seems to be a problem in the continuity of the text. If you read further, the Commandant cites the actual reductions in terms of the TOA, amounting to 12,800 fewer personnel than the minimum force requirement of 186,800. This equates to, in his estimation, 11 combat battalions and 14 air squadrons. According to the article, these shortfalls are being replaced by assets whose loyalty is not to the Constitution but to Obama. The resulting picture is very disquieting and indicative of further inroads into personal liberties.
Suppose for the moment that President Obama is working on getting troops loyal to the president but not taking an oath to the Constitution. Is he planning to use the power to ensure someone he agrees with gets the job next? If so, he has three years to execute his plan. If he can't do it in the next three years, the next president could be someone completely different.
The totality of his actions since assuming the presidency. The creation of a shadow cabinet of czars accountable to no one but himself, his proliferation of executive orders (which can be activated on his order) accreting greater and greater powers into the WH, the arrogance of his personal conduct when dealing with others when his personal desires are obstructed or thwarted. He has never been comfortable with the levels of freedom granted the American people as they do not conform to his world view as molded in his formative years by those who harbor ill-will to the US. His ideal of an elite holding absolute power over the masses is within his grasp. IMO, the next two years will see the attempt to create such a society.
The trouble is I don't think he has such a master plan, and whoever happens to be in the office next can use his actions as a precedent. I don't know which scenario is worse. In my scenario some almost-random person of different ideology will have those powers soon.
Wait a minute... if the Marine Corps is cut by 8,000 FEWER soldiers then planned, wouldn't that mean they actually KEPT 8,000 soldiers who they had planned to cut?
For example, hypothetically speaking, let's say they had planned to kick 50,000 soldiers out of the Marine Corps, but instead they only kicked out 42,000. That would mean their numbers were cut by 8,000 FEWER than planned. In other words, the actual reduction in force was LESS severe than the original plan.
Am I interpreting this right?
They should be saying they are cutting 8000 MORE soldiers than planned.
This earlier article from April this year makes it clear:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/...
They have advocated getting to 186,800. Due to budget cuts, they thought in April they would need to take it down to 182,100. Now they thing they need to go lower than that.
http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts/cd...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013...