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12574 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 28, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS CONGRESSMAN MURTHA Phase Four-and I want to talk about a few COMPARISONS BETWEEN U.S. AND U.S.S.R. MILITARY SPEAKS ON DEFENSE POLICY specific military problems to illustrate the STRENGTH situation as we begin this new period. The first question involves the perform­ U.S. U.S.S.R. HON. JOHN P. MURTHA ance of the all-volunteer army. The United OF PENNSYLVANIA States has troop strength problems. The Active armed services personnel .................. 2,100,000 4,300,000 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Military reserve strength ............................ 870,000 6,800,000 Army is about 50,000 short of its peacetime Nuclear warheads .•.................................... 9,500 4,000 Wednesday, May 28, 1980 manpower strength. In worse shape are the Strategic missiles ..................................... 1,700 2,415 back-up forces, reserve strength is only at Warplanes •.•.••...•.......................•..•......••... 5,800 8,100 e Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I insert Tanks ...................................................... 11,100 50,000 about 75 percent of its peacetime strength. Submarines: into the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD the Moreover, we have to look at the type of Nuclear ........................................... 70 85 following excerpts from a speech I Diesel ............................................. 5 158 recruits we are getting. In many recruiting Aircraft carriers. ....................................... 13 3 prepared for a Memorial Day presen­ groups less than half of the volunteers have Major surface warships ............................. 172 240 tation in Somerset. These remarks graduated from high school. One colonel re­ outline many of my concerns about ports that about 300 of his 2,500 soldiers go Mil~:fronfp~~~~t -~~- .. ~. .. ~'.~~-~--~~ .. ~'.~~ -· 12 the present and future trends of to class during the year because they can't American defense policy. read above a fifth grade level or can't speak What those figures show, ladies and gen­ The excerpts follow: English. And this at a time when our weap­ tlemen, is that we will have to undertake a Usual Greetings. ons are becoming increasingly sophisticated major cominitment in this country to up­ In the rush of national and world events, and technical. grade our Inilitary defenses. You know, I sometimes in Washington we lose track of A third manpower problem is that we often say there's no first, second, and third what is important and essential. During would have trouble mobilizing quickly in in defense; there are no medals for coming many debates in Congress I remind my col­ case of war. In our present situation, it in second, the only thing that counts is leagues of one simple fact: the primary re­ would take us over 100 days just to find out who's number one because that country can sponsibility of the Federal Government is to control world policy. For the past few years who we could draft, much less begin to train I have been saying the Soviet Union and insure America's defense, to make certain them. our military strength is sufficient. United States are roughly equivalent in Memorial Day has become a time for look­ · That's a key reason why I recently voted strength. Now, I am changing my position. I ing back at the brave men and women who for a return to registration, because it would no longer believe the United States is even have served our country, and looking ahead cut 115 days from the time it would take our equal, and I think it will take 4 to 5 years of to America's role in the world. Our concern country to mobilize. And I will say very concentrated effort and spending to return this year is heightened, because we realize frankly to you that if the present trends our superiority. that as we gather here today 53 Americans continue in manpower as I have outlined And that superiority is essential. Our are still being held captive in Iran. In the here, we may have to return to an actual entire economy is now dependent on a thin rush and pressures of our daily lives, we draft. line of oil tankers making their way from sometimes lose track of the anguish being The second major problem we have is in the Middle East. If we cannot defend that experienced by these American citizens. Me­ route and insure our tankers' safety, then the coordination of the free-world Inilitary we can be thrown into a massive depression morial Day is a time to remember that kind alliance against the Soviets. The fact is that of situation and contemplate what it means at any time by the Soviets interrupting that the Communists are better organized. Even oil flow. And meanwhile, the Soviet Union for America, and our role in the world. though our NATO troops in Europe repre­ Quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, as I has invaded Afghanistan in a blatant power look at the state of America's defense on sent our front line combat defense units in move. They are now poised on the edge of this Memorial Day, 1980, I am concerned. case the Soviet Union started a march into the Middle East countries. For our own As many of you know, I have been active in Europe, we recently had to take equipment safety and for the safety of the free world, the U.S. Marines since the time of the from U.S. troops and National Guard units we must make it clear to the Soviet Union Korean War. I served in Vietnam. I now just to supply these troops with basic weap­ that we will not tolerate their aggression, serve on the Defense Appropriations Sub­ ons. Much of the present National Guard and that we will take whatever military committee in Congress which oversees virtu­ equipment is outdated. steps are necessary to defend our interests ally all the spending on defense in our coun­ One of the major tasks we face is rebuild­ and the cause of freedom. That is why we try. And I am concerned about much of ing the free-world alliance so that we bring need military registration and may need the what I see. together the allies into a cohesive unit, and draft. That is why we must continue to Basically, I think that America has gone spend as much as is necessary to insure our make the necessary military preparations to defense strength <Congress is committing through several stages since the second insure their readiness in case of conflict. World War. Certainly, we came out of that the Nation to a five-year, $1 trillion spend­ And let me say quite frankly, one thing we ing plan). That is why we must be firmer war the dominant country in the world with must demand is more cooperation from our both psychological and actual military with our allies and demand their coopera­ dominance. During the Cold War period­ allies, more willingness to join us in the tion in battling communism. Through all which was phase two-the world began to battle against Communism, more willing­ this we can send a clear message to the settle into the communist and free world ness to stand up with us in the world Soviet Union, that message: we will never ranks with the free world holding a cumula­ debate. I don't see that kind of cooperation. cease in our efforts to offset communism, tive though shrinking edge that was best The third major problem is in defense we will never weaken in our resolve to dramatized when President Kennedy spending. The Soviet Union has simply out­ spread freedom throughout the world, we backed down the Russians during the spent us for the last decade. The Soviets will take whatever steps we must to preserve Cuban Missile Crisis. But Phase Three start­ have been spending two and three times as freedom and liberty. ed shortly after that crisis-the Russians much per year on defense as the United Now, ladies and gentlemen, this report began a massive build-up designed to esca­ States, and they have been doing it for sev­ today has been pessimistic, it has pointed late them to equality and beyond with the eral years. out serious problems, but in conclusion I United States; meanwhile the United States want to tell you a little story. Last year as became bogged down in Vietnam, eventually I serve on the Defense Appropriations part of my concern about NATO, I took a tearing the country apart and starting an Subcominittee. Last year we approved the short tour of military facilities in Europe. anti-military feeling. Support for defense largest defense spending bill in history; this And while I was in Germany I was taken to spending dropped dramatically, ·we ended year I predict we will approve an even larger the Berlin Wall, and I went up in the towers the military draft, and Americans no longer one. This type of spending is essential. Let around that wall, and I looked out at the wanted to take a forceful world role. With me make a few comparisons as to how the wall separating Communist Berlin from this U.S. attitude, the Soviets pulled up to U.S. and the Soviet Union compare against Free Berlin. And I saw the U.S. and commu­ us in defense capability. I now think we are one another after the tremendous spending nist soldiers watching each other through on the edge of the next development- of recent years by the Soviet Union. binoculars with the dogs patrolling on the e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. May 28, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 12575 communist side of the barrier and the weap­ Vilnius railway station.

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