John Lehman, former Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan, and member of the 9/11 Commission, endorsed Pat Toomey earlier today in Harrisburg. Mr. Lehman, who lauded Toomey’s “exactly right instincts,” spoke further with Battle ‘10 on Toomey’s global perspective.
“I really am impressed with the thought and homework. [Toomey] really gets it with regard to China,” said Lehman, “and the fact that we’re sowing dragon’s teeth by continuing to shrink our Navy while the Chinese build theirs and assert themselves more aggressively on disputed islands and access to resources.”
“As we drop the size of our fleet steadily, and [they] make increasingly aggressive claims, it’ll create a sitatuon that could turn something manageable — our relationship with China — into a real problem if we don’t do something to re-establish stability.”
“Toomey brings much more global perspective to the issue,” Lehman declared. “He’s as much an advocate as using diplomacy and far differently than from the Obama people, [Toomey] understands that without a strong and capable and global military, diplomacy is ineffective.”
“As the old saying goes,” quipped Lehman, “diplomacy is the shadow cast by military power.”
“I am truly impressive with the sophistication of Toomey’s global national security perspective. It’s not one dimensional, not just ‘throw more money at Defense,’ Lehman told Battle ‘10.
“It’s based on a much greater understanding than his opponent, for sure, who is just in lock step with the Obama view that the U.S. is more or less the disturber of the peace in the world, and that we need be more conciliatory.”