Colonel Allen West on The Military, Foreign Affairs and School Choice

The United States needs to “name” its “enemies” and “adversaries” and strengthen the military to serve both as a “deterrent” and an effective force against enemies, Lt. Colonel Allen West (Ret.) explained during an interview last month on “The Alex Nitzberg Show.” Over the past 15 to 20 years, the Department of Defense budget has expanded while there has been a “…reduction in the capability of the operational forces,” according to Colonel West. He attributes this situation to increased bureaucracy. “And people sittin’ around at a desk pushin’ pencils don’t protect the nation,” he noted. When asked whether he sees the Trump administration building up the military as a deterrent force, Colonel West replied that he does not. He said that while the budget included a request for increased funds for the military, it is not apparent how that money will be spent. Speaking about the military’s increasing bureaucracy and decreasing strength, he said, “…those are the type of things that I have not heard the Trump administration talk about.”