The refusal of western governments to actively protect their citizens will be studied in history centuries from now as an amazingly unexplainable event
The most fundamental duty of a national government is to protect its citizens. In fact, this is one of the only requirements given to the federal government in the US Constitution. The threats to the citizens of the free world are myriad. In recent decades, western nations have been failing in this solemn obligation.
A disturbing trend in global politics has been the assassination of dissidents abroad. Iran and Hezbollah have long been active in this arena. However, the killing (with a VX nerve agent) of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s brother, Kim Jong-nam, in Kuala Lumpur is a stark reminder of how easy it is to rub out those who oppose you, no matter where they are located. A similar, horrible incident happened in the United Kingdom in 2008, when Alexander Litvinenko was killed by radiation poisoning put into his tea in a restaurant. The message from the Kremlin was that they can get you no matter where you are—the west can’t protect you.
In Connecticut this week, an Amber Alert went out for a six-year-old girl who was kidnapped by an illegal alien who also fatally stabbed her mother and severely injured another woman. The man had been protected by the Connecticut state government due to their sanctuary city policy. After the man was captured and the girl rescued (she was injured slightly in the ensuing car crash), it was revealed that the man had been previously deported.
There is a long list of incidents where criminal aliens have perpetrated violence against American citizens. These are people who should never have been in the country in the first place. Under the Obama administration, the Democratic Party, in a bid to preserve its access to power, refused to follow American law and protect its citizens. Instead, it went on an orgy of vote buying with the prospect of allowing illegal aliens to vote. President Obama, during the 2016 election, went so far as to say on television that no one was going to stop illegals from casting a ballot—a shameful display of flouting the American legal framework.
In addition, we have conventional threats that abound. China is actively building up its military capability and attempting to block international shipping lanes in the South China Sea with force, building man-made islands that act as aircraft carriers to project Beijing’s military power far from its coast. North Korea is menacing the world—but especially the US and her allies—with the development of nuclear weapons and a delivery system to go along with it. Some analysts believe, if left undeterred, North Korea will be able to launch an accurate ICBM at American targets on the mainland within a few years. They also believe North Korea has developed the miniaturization technology to put a nuclear device on top of such a delivery system.
Russia is well along the path to modernizing their nuclear forces. In addition, they are openly flouting the nuclear weapons agreements we have in place, building, testing, and deploying a medium-range nuclear delivery system that is now operational inside Russia. Russia’s conventional forces are also being brought into the 21st century, with an expectation that 70% will be outfitted with modern equipment, including planes, ships, armored vehicles, etc. by the year 2020.
Iran is well on its way to the development of a nuclear weapon and not only continues to call the United States the Great Satan but also calls for the destruction of the Jewish State as it launches and tests ballistic missiles (contrary to UN sanctions). It has developed and cultivated an army of Shia militias from Tehran to the border of Israel—a long-term American ally in the region.
When you couple these developments with the will to use force in Europe (Ukrainian conflict) and the Middle East, you have a dangerous cocktail that needs to be countered. Consider this in light of this obvious Russian strategy to take advantage of an American leadership vacuum created by the lack of a comprehensive or effective strategy by the previous White House; the consequences for American national security are ominous.
We are not seeing the total warfare of the early 20th century in current global conflicts. But we are seeing the development of a hybrid warfare concept that nation-states are using to further their political objectives. Using the court system of the west against itself is happening routinely. Russia has recently sued Ukraine, a former satellite state under Yanukovych, to put pressure on the government in Kiev, along with the very hot war being fought in the east of the country.
Russian disinformation has been in full display, as the Kremlin has developed a labyrinth of propaganda outlets offshore to impact civilian opinion and governmental policy in the free world. Western governments have been slow to recognize, confront, and counteract these efforts from Russia and other countries. The main reason has been the refusal of the liberal, western capitals to effectively deal with national security issues. It is much easier to use tax dollars to buy votes than to protect citizens.
The disinformation effort, tied to the prolific cyber attacks and threats against the US and the west, are cause for serious concern. Our electric grid is not protected. Our other infrastructure systems are not protected either. Water, communications, transportation—all are laid bare to foreign or domestic attack.
When you then think of an active effort to import “refugees” from areas of the world that have every intention of harming us, you must be very concerned. This effort has been enabled by liberal governments across the west. Why is that? Is it stupidity? Is it brainwashing? Is it just a failed ideology turned into a religion that can therefore not be questioned?
If you look at this scenario another way, you could call it active subversion. I maintain that you cannot listen to what President Obama said, only look at the results of his actions. These results include a rising Islamic caliphate in the Middle East, a “refugee” army infiltrating Europe as the continent commits cultural suicide, the reduction of American power globally, the removal of American influence in the Middle East, and on and on.
The refusal of western governments to actively protect their citizens will be studied in history centuries from now as an amazingly unexplainable event. Or perhaps the explanation will be forthcoming in some revelation of the treason of several western leaders. “Progressives” continue to call for more and more illegal immigration and the admission of refugees from conflict areas, all the while knowing that a percentage of them may be terrorists.
I am not calling for a police state; just stop doing stupid things. Stop being ignorant of the problems facing us. Stop being in denial. Stop demonizing Western leaders who simply want to protect our citizens, our homeland, our culture, and our children from harm. Even if the public is too stupid or too ideologically engaged to protect themselves, the government must do it for them.
All of the events and scenarios I have described make one almost feel overwhelmed, as if things are hopeless. That’s not the case; however, the Trump administration has a huge job to do. They must not just deconstruct the administrative state build by the Obama administration. They must deconstruct the reeducation of our youth in the liberal universities on matters of national security and beyond. They must deconstruction the reduction of American military power. They must remove those already in the country who want—and actively seek—to do Americans harm.
Trump is right to shut things down until we can figure out what is going on. The consequences of not doing so are just too onerous and terrible.
L. Todd Wood is an OpsLens contributor, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, flew special operations helicopters supporting SEAL Team 6, Delta Force and others. After leaving the military, he pursued his other passion, finance, spending 18 years on Wall Street trading emerging market debt, and later, writing. The first of his many thrillers is “Currency.” Todd is a national security columnist for The Washington Times and has contributed to Fox Business, Newsmax TV, Moscow Times, the New York Post, the National Review, Zero Hedge, The Jerusalem Post, and others. For more information about L. Todd Wood, visit LToddWood.com.
