Dr. Jasser was but one of dozens of respected public figures to grace the podium and the video screen throughout the National Security Action Summit – which included current and former legislators, judges, diplomats, military leaders, and media personalities. Current members of Congress participating in the Summit included Rep. Louis Gohmer (R-TX), Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Challenging Russian Aggression
In what was arguably one of the most impassioned speeches of the day, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) discussed a variety of pressing topics, from the proposed budget cuts to the U.S. military, to the Iranian nuclear program, to he Russian invasion of Ukraine – in reference to which he characterized the description used by some in the Obama administration of Russia’s incursion as an “uncontested arrival,” as the “words of fools.”
Among the other commentators offering their views on the situation in the Ukraine were counter-terrorism expert Dr. Sebastian Gorka of National Defense University, former CIA operative Claire Lopez, Breitbart.com Editor-in-Chief Joel Pollak, and political scientist Ariel Cohen, a research fellow at the Heritage Institute who was, in fact, born in the Crimea.
In outlining the crisis, Cohen declared an end to the “post-Cold War arrangement,” wherein there was “a clear hierarchical international order, the underpinnings of which were American power projected around the world.”
The disruption of this arrangement, says Cohen—which he described as “benevolent,” with America’s role being similar to that of the British Empire prior to 1914—signals that “a powerful nuclear neighbor can grab and trample territory of its weaker neighbor.” Letting Russia’s aggression stand, he continues, means acquiescing to the destruction of the implicit guarantee that a nation’s sovereignty be held sacrosanct, and, what’s more, it means reverting to a geopolitical situation disturbingly similar to that which prevailed after the First World War, and ultimately gave rise to the second.
Overall, the take-home message from the panelists would seem to be that the U.S. government’s weak-willed response to the Russian military intervention in the Crimea only further strengthens the despotic rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while signaling that we as a nation are abdicating our position as a world superpower.
The Common Defense: Endangered?
In addition to covering a wide range of topics, the National Security Action Summit also drew officials and activists from all age groups, from 20-something political bloggers to retired army generals. In the case of the latter, a panel discussion dubbed “The Common Defense Endangered: A Case for Peace Through Strength 2.0” featured former top military brass including Adm. James “Ace” Lyons (former commander of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet), Gen. James Conway (former commandant of the Marine Corps), and Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney, who previously headed the 11th Air Force (formerly the Alaskan Air Command), and currently serves as a commentator on Fox News. Each drew upon their decades of experience in the service of their country to critique America’s current defense policies, and the future of America’s armed forces should things continue on their present trajectory. Admiral Lyons was particularly vocal in his criticism, declaring that under what he dubbed the “Obama Doctrine,” the United States has cut off its allies, making our nation appear “unreliable” to its erstwhile friends.
Referring back to Russia’s recent aggression in Ukraine (it was a popular topic throughout the day), Lyons suggested the United States should issue an ultimatum to Moscow that, unless they cease all hostilities against their neighbor, we would topple the [Russian-aligned] Assad regime in Syria. “There’s not a hell of a lot [Putin] can do about that,” explained Lyons. Iran, however “could cause trouble,” the admiral continued, saying that he would advise providing Israel with “bunker buster” bombs and aerial refueling tanker assets. “I would even give them an additional squadron of F-15s,” he added.