Since the end of World War Two, American military policy has been based entirely on what might happen. We conducted a cold war against the Soviet Union not because they had attacked the United States, but because they were the only player left on the field who could attack us. Today, we stand on the brink of yet another war in southwest Asia against ISIL not because they have attacked US territory, but because they someday might. Hawks in Congress tell us this is only prudent. Lindsay Graham clutches his pearls and swoons that these terrorists are coming our shores and therefore must be defeated where they stand.
If it is only wise to be pro active in military affairs, then why is it foolhardy to plan for global climate change? The same people who will bomb anybody anywhere just because they could cause harm to Americans think it unwise to do anything about demonstrable changes in climate that already are harming Americans. Why is forward leaning military action good, but prudent planning for climate change wholly unthinkable?
We need to look ahead and prepare for the changes that are happening everywhere in the United States. Drought in California, the melting of Alaskan permafrost, the rise in sea level threatening Florida, these are the real and provable threats we now face. Instead, the Republican party, and energy state Democrats refuse to even have the discussion.
I would posit that America's global military presence not only distracts us from our real challenges, but actually makes things worse. In the first case, most of our military interventions in recent years have sought to maintain access to middle east oil. Without our insatiable need for it, the Saudi Wahhabis wouldn't have the means to support ISIL. Our money indirectly helped create Al Quaeda. At the same time, our military consumes an unimaginable about of fuel. How much does an F-16 sortie contribute to global warming.
What is the carbon footprint of and aircraft carrier group? Finally, our Government spends about a third of all our national budget on military preparedness. If even a fraction of that was spent finding ways to cope with the coming changes, we would all be more secure.
We are preparing for the wrong crisis. It is beyond time to challenge those who set our national priorities.