Looking back over the course of American history, one of the reasons that our nation rose to superpower power status was because of its strong defense policy. For most American presidents and those within their administrations, having a strong military along with foreign policies that allowed our nation to reach strategic and military objectives was the key to defeating our enemies and holding at bay geopolitical foes. Pretty simple.

The world in which we live today is much more complex. Non-state actors who carry out acts of terrorism, state sponsors of terrorism, rogue nations, old enemies who have become emboldened by their ability to capitalize on vulnerabilities and many other threats are of concern to American citizens and our allies throughout the world. These realities did not have to come to pass, but they have, leaving many wondering if our nation is capable or ready for the next conflict or catastrophic event.

We have noted on numerous occasions that when Barack Obama ran for president, he stated that one of his goals was to “fundamentally transform” America. When he took office, he also promised to be a new type of commander in chief, primarily by cutting and running from military engagements. It was obvious to us that he would be a poor leader, but after more than seven years of his feckless “leadership,” it should be glaringly obvious to everyone that this is not at all what our nation or our world needs.

For starters, Obama recklessly promised to end (not win) the war in Iraq. Soon after our troops were withdrawn, the Islamic State, which is arguably one of the most brutal and relentless terrorist groups in history, rushed in to fill the vacuum Obama created. Obama’s response to this terrorist threat was to nickname them the JV team, conduct limited airstrikes and continually promise that there would be “no boots on the ground” in Iraq. But today, there are 5,000 boots on the ground, and Marine Staff Sergeant Louis F. Cardin became the first casualty several weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Obama has pushed for drastic social changes in the military, calling for “social justice,” equality and a more diverse fighting force. These were his priorities, despite the findings of numerous tests, studies and recommendations from high ranking officers. Common sense, the lessons of history, military logic, training and readiness were put aside for the sake of political correctness, a personal agenda and a sick version of social engineering.

Under Obama, our Navy has been reduced to the smallest it has ever been since 1917. What was once known as the “Great White Fleet” can now be called the great green fleet. That’s right, instead of bolstering our Navy to be a formidable force against evil, this administration has focused on using alternative fuel to fight temperature. Can anyone fathom what our real enemies think about this insanity? The answer is in the news headlines every day.

In a special report titled “Rising Threats, Shrinking Military,” Fox News anchor Bret Baier investigates the phenomenon that is the Obama military.

The report highlights the crux of Obama’s plan: “One of the signs of the president’s new approach is his deep budget cuts. Numerous defense programs have been scrapped, and the troops are being cut back — the Army’s active force threatens to drop below pre-World War II levels. As former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates tells Fox News, after he worked hard to cut hundreds of billions from the Obama military budget, he was then told to cut hundreds of billions more. Gates fears less money today will mean more American blood later.”

Gates rightfully states that he “felt double-crossed” by Obama on budgets and that because of these cuts, the U.S will be left more vulnerable than ever before in this era of non-state terrorism. How so?

Gates says Obama initially told him that there wouldn’t be any significant changes in the defense budget for a while, yet the request for billions of dollars in cuts came not once but twice. Asked whether Obama kept his word, Gates replied, “Well, I think that began to fray. ‘Fray’ may be too gentle of a word.”

In Gates’ book, he also revealed that the Obama administration was unable to craft a coherent military strategy in Libya. White House staffers would often discuss military options without Defense being involved, so Gates instructed the Pentagon to avoid feeding too much information to the White House on Libya. “They don’t understand it,” he said, “and ‘experts’ like Samantha Power will decide when we should move militarily.”

In addition to Gates, Baier also interviewed retired Gen. Michael Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Flynn minced no words: “Frankly, the United States of America is in a less strong position today because of the readiness and the size of our Armed Forces.” Perhaps most important, he further notes, “I think [Obama] sees the military actually as something that is more dangerous to the world. I think that he looks at the United States military and sees it as a threatening application around the world, than actually as a useful tool.”

It is absolutely tragic that our nation and the balance of power throughout the world has been jeopardized by the failed presidency of Barack Obama. It is a disgrace for the men and women who have volunteered to serve this country in uniform to have to endure the consequences that have and will result from Obama’s notion that somehow the world will be a better place by making our military weaker instead of stronger. It is a disservice to those who serve to drastically cut their budgets, reduce manpower and readiness, and waste valuable assets on fighting climate and integrating homosexuals instead of countering threats to national security.

The world is not safer, and we as nation are not stronger. The next commander in chief will be faced with enormous challenges and calamities directly resulting from Obama’s failed policies. But rather than simply blame Obama, the next president needs to be ready to rebuild our military, to renew our strength as a nation and resolve to uphold the Constitution and defend our nation against all enemies.