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.”

During the interview he mentioned a variety of foreign policy concerns around the world, including China’s construction of “military islands,” North Korea’s ballistic missile activity, Iran’s increasing “regional hegemony” in the Middle East, and Russia “…providing arms and support to the Taliban against us in Afghanistan.”

He also noted China’s failure to curb North Korea’s behavior, Iran installing the “S-300 surface to air missile system” at their nuclear facilities, and Iran and North Korea’s cooperation “…on nuclear development and also ballistic delivery means, systems.”

Colonel West explained, “…it drives me insane, the fact that all of these things are goin’ on and we have elected officials who are stupidly not focusing on that which is their number one responsibility, which is to protect the American people and this country. They’re worried about political gimmicks.”

When asked about what is happening in Washington, and why Congress and the President are not engaging with the serious issues facing America, Colonel West answered that “…they chase the news cycle. And sooner or later you gotta have an adult in the room that does not chase the news cycle.”

In order to combat the Islamic terror threat, Colonel West said that President Trump should issue an executive order to classify the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

Colonel West also stated that a good education is “…the only way you break the chains of this modern economic enslavement that we see happening in many of the inner cities.” He advocates school choice and vouchers that empower parents to choose their child’s school. “…the money should follow the child,” according to Colonel West.

He also noted, “…the other side says they’re all about pro-choice, but not when it comes to education, not when it comes to tax policy or anything else, only when it comes to killing kids.”

You can listen to my entire interview with Colonel Allen West on “The Alex Nitzberg Show:”

Alex Nitzberg