The media and world elites hailed President Obama’s executive order requiring all interrogations by U.S. personnel to conform to the Army Field Manual and directing the closure of CIA detention facilities. Several experts have stated that the enhanced interrogation methods presumably prohibited by Obama’s executive order were instrumental in thwarting terrorist attacks.

Historically, the U.S.has lowered its defenses (by drawing down forces, reducing armaments, etc.) upon the cessation of hostilities or pursuant to treaty (and such draw-downs have been famously criticized for inviting attack). In the present case, the U.S. remains in armed conflict with al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorist groups. None have renounced their intention to inflict heavy casualties upon the citizens of our country. This raises the following questions:

On what past occasions, if any, has our Commander-in-Chief unilaterally abandoned effective defenses during pending hostilities?
On such occasions (if there were any) did the Commander- in- Chief announce such abandonment to our enemies?
What was the result of any publically- declared unilateral abandonment of effective defenses during ongoing armed conflict?

These questions aren’t rhetorical. I assume they were among the questions the administration considered before revoking E.O. 13440. Anyone have any examples?