Freedom Under Attack – Part 3
| By: Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (retired); ©2012 |
| Given events happening in the Middle East, is America especially vulnerable to attack? |
Introduction
As we approach the American Presidential election, our next president will not only have to deal with an economic crisis, but also with the rise of militant Islam in 22 countries in the Middle East, and Islamic terrorists infiltrating our southern border here in America.
Benjamin Netanyahu: If you look at what has happened politically, not economically, to the world, but what has happened politically to the world, you see a clear trajectory of the rise of militant Islam.
William Boykin: Those young Muslims out there today that may be very peaceful, that want nothing to do with jihad are encouraged to come into the Brotherhood, to come into Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, or any of these other terrorist organizations because their theology is being played out right now.
Netanyahu: You see it not only taking over countries, which it has, but also extending its sway over many people. But their goals are unlimited. Whatever their successes so far, they don’t intend to stop.
My guest today is retired three-star general William G. Boykin, former commander of Delta Force, who later became commanding general of all US Army Special Forces around the world. He also served at the CIA in clandestine missions, and for four years he served as Undersecretary of Defense.
John Ankerberg: Is this going to have risks for our safety of Americans here in this country?
Boykin: There’s no question about it. The number one priority for the President of the United States is to defend the nation. You know, even our southern borders are being infiltrated right now. And you can say that’s an invasion of America. We’re finding prayer rugs, we’re finding terrorist training manuals. We’re finding all kinds of paraphernalia that relates directly back to terrorist groups. So they’re coming across our borders and they’re setting up cells in America.
Join us for this special edition of the John Ankerberg Show.
Ankerberg: Welcome to our program. Two weeks ago, folks, I had the privilege of hearing Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin speak at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. General Boykin is one of America’s elite warriors. He was chosen in 1978 to make up the first unit in America’s ultra-secret and deadly Delta Force. He then became the commander of that unit, and then later still commander of all US Army Special Forces. He’s also served a tour at the Central Intelligence Agency and retired in June 2007 after serving his last four years in uniform as Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence.
Now, we’ve been talking about the conflict that’s taking place in the Middle East and what America is going to do about this. But right now we have right before us a lame duck session of Congress. We’ve got decisions, major decisions, that need to be made by our leaders. And one of them has to do with your part of the area, it’s the military. They are talking about cutting almost $1 trillion out of the American defense budget. So we’re pulling out of Afghanistan; we’re cutting down the number of soldiers and equipment for the Army, Navy and Air Force. I’m just saying, if you’re in the field, General, how are you taking all these cuts? What does this mean to you?
Boykin: Well, remember that the number one priority for the president of the United States is to defend the nation. Security of America is our president’s number one priority, or supposed to be. Now, we’re reducing our military capabilities and the quality of our military at the same time that our enemies, our adversaries, those that want to destroy us, are building theirs. We have a nuclear Iran emerging; we have a nuclear North Korea emerging. I think that China is spending at an all-time high level. They’ve just launched an aircraft carrier; by 2015 they will launch the most modern aircraft carrier that the world has ever seen. And, by the way, they’re spending much more than they report. And we have adversaries all over the world now that are growing in strength while we are reducing. We will have with these program cuts, plus sequestration, we’ll have the smallest Navy we’ve had since World War I. We’ll also have the smallest Army and Marine Corp we’ve had since World War II. Our Air Force will reduce its capabilities in both fighters and bombers substantially.
And we have global responsibilities. I see a couple of other things that are very problematic. One is that, according to the new national security strategy, we’re going to shift all our focus to Asia, to the Pacific Rim. And that sounds good. I mean, it really sounds good. Except that we will always wind up back in the Middle East, and that’s because of two things: One is oil and our need for that energy; and the other is because of our allies; Israel. So I think that it’s ill-conceived. We’re going to reduce our investment in research and development, which has always given us an edge. We’re going to reduce our investment in missile defense capabilities, again, at a time when our adversaries are developing nuclear capabilities, long-range nuclear capabilities. So this is fraught with problems, and I think it’s very ill-conceived. John, the problem is, it didn’t start with an understanding of the enemy; it didn’t start with a risk assessment—what risk are we willing to take? It started by people with green eyeshades that said we need this amount of money; cut it out of the Defense Department. So I’m very concerned.
Ankerberg: Yeah, I’m just saying, is this going to have risks for our safety of Americans here in this country?
Boykin: There’s no question about it. Again, it’s because our adversaries are growing in strength. Russia is reemerging as a military power, as a global military power. And the other thing is, though, that we know that, you know, even our southern borders are being infiltrated right now. And you could say that’s an invasion of America.
Ankerberg: Yeah, you go down to the southern borders, you’ve talked with those that are on the border. And you were talking up at the National Press Club in Washington about some of the things that they’ve found along our border.
Boykin: What they’ve concluded is that Middle East terrorist groups have now combined with the drug cartels there. Now, the motive for the Middle East terrorist groups is so that they can infiltrate not only people, but materiel, across our borders. The motive for the drug cartels is there’s money in it for them. They get paid to help these people come across our borders. But you see it in the number of beheadings and dismemberment of bodies and some of the things that drug cartels never have done historically. We’re finding prayer rugs; we’re finding terrorist training manuals; we’re finding all kinds of paraphernalia that relates directly back to terrorists groups. And we’re catching people with passports from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, and even Iran. So they’re coming across our borders and they’re setting up cells in America. And before I left the military I saw some of the reports out of the intelligence community. We know that there are a number of cells that have been established in America that will wait until they’ve been given the orders to come out of their hiding places and to wreak havoc on America. We’ll never be destroyed by terrorism, but they’re a danger; they’re a threat, but they can’t destroy us. It’s the stealth jihad, the infiltration of our society, using our constitutional liberties against us, that is the ultimate threat.
Ankerberg: Yeah, you have talked about this threat from within, that it’s growing. Okay, so we’ve got the threat from without because of military cuts. And we have got the threats from within. Talk a little bit more about the threats from within.
Boykin: The Muslim Brotherhood has been in America since the early ‘60’s. And they’ve stated exactly what their intentions are for America, and we actually found their plan in 2004 in Annandale, Virginia, in a false basement of the operations director for the Muslim Brotherhood. And they say very clearly what they intend to do. And they intend to destroy us from within; by our own hand, according to their words. They will use our constitutional liberties. You see, we give them, because they call themselves a religion, we give them First Amendment protection. The reality is, only 16% of Islam is a religion, but we protect it all. First and foremost, it’s actually a legal system. It’s called sharia. It’s a financial system. It’s a geopolitical system, a Caliphate, an area that must be created for the messiah to return and govern. So we give it First Amendment protections while they use that protection to actually go and do nefarious things. Our government is infiltrated and our leadership is unwilling to deal with it. That’s why when Nidal Hasan killed 14 people—I say 14 because one of the women was pregnant—and he wounded 28 more, we called it workplace violence because we won’t deal with what’s going on.
Ankerberg: There are so many things that are triggering in my mind as you talk. You also talked about, we were together the very next day, I think it was, after our ambassador in Libya was shot. And immediately you said, “Where were the Marines?” Talk about that for a minute.
Boykin: Well, look. There was just an, obviously, months of fierce fighting going on in that whole area. And then we sent an ambassador in there and we didn’t send him with a Marine security guard, to Benghazi, the center of all of this fighting. Now, you have to ask yourself, why is it that every embassy—to include nations like Britain and Germany and France—we have a Marine security guard, and we didn’t have one in a place like Libya? A place where you know that there is fighting going on every single day, and our ambassador was out there? Somebody made a very poor calculation, and I think that somebody has got to be held accountable for it.
Ankerberg: Stick with us, we’ll be right back.
BREAK
Ankerberg: Alright, we’re back. We’re talking with Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, and we’re talking about this lame duck session of Congress that’s coming up. And we’re talking about the cuts to the military and what this means to the freedom for Americans overseas, as well as America itself here at home. Are we going to be safe if these cuts are made? And let’s talk a little bit about the fact of, if the cuts are made, what happens to this Pacific Rim policy that’s being enunciated, and then, what happens if you do have a real crisis in the Gulf? I mean, can we cover everything?
Boykin: Well, I don’t think so. The short answer is no, I don’t think so. I mean, we’re reducing to World War I levels in our Navy with the sequestration and these cuts. You know, it’s not just the carriers, it’s what goes with the carriers. You know, there’s a fleet that protects that carrier. You don’t put a carrier in a vulnerable position. You have it surrounded. And we’re going to reduce our ships. We’re going to reduce our total Navy. And I think that’s very dangerous. Now, let’s just take, for example, if China was to invade Taiwan, which they are, you know, on the verge of doing every day, we’ve already pledged by treaty to help defend Taiwan. So what if that occurred, and at the same time something breaks out in the Persian Gulf, where we have not just treaty alliances and agreements, but we have an imperative, economically, to respond to that and very, very quickly because we have to have that oil? We have depended on Mid-East oil. And we won’t have the capabilities to do that. Even with our Reserve we can’t pull, you know, people from nowhere. So I think that we are very vulnerable. I think that we are creating a situation that is going to make America the most vulnerable that we’ve been in my lifetime.
Ankerberg: Can we pull all the folks out of Afghanistan? What’s going to happen in Afghanistan?
Boykin: Well, Afghanistan is still very tribal. There are many in Afghanistan today that do not recognize the central government. And I think what you’ll see is, I think you’ll see it go back to tribal warfare. I think you’ll see the different elements in there going back into what we saw pre-9/11.
Ankerberg: You were always sent to plan operations in these different countries, so you met with the leaders, alright. And you did this over a 36-year period of time. And you had different presidents, okay, so you know what it’s like to be out there planning an operation and the leadership doesn’t support the operation, or only gives you half of what you need, and you guys are still supposed to pull off the job. How important is it, in terms of leadership, that you have solid leadership and backing for the military if you guys are going to do the job you’re supposed to do?
Boykin: It’s critical. And it doesn’t matter necessarily whether the president of the United States is a veteran. What’s key is that the people that he brings in to manage that aspect of his responsibilities are people that understand the military. And not only know the military’s capabilities, but know their limitations. The people that come in with an attitude of winning, of being successful, not just showing up and playing—and that’s what we’ve had some problems with in the past with previous presidents; they didn’t know the military and they didn’t bring in the right people. They brought people in to focus on social agendas, to focus on the economy. But you have to have people there that understand military capabilities as well as military limitations.
Ankerberg: Alright, let’s switch hats a little bit here, in the fact of, we’ve been talking about we don’t know what they’re going to do. We just know that we’re going to be hurt if they make the cuts, alright. As a Christian, let’s tie this to biblical prophecy. Are we close to the Ezekiel 38 war? Explain to the folks that are listening how you have looked at this passage of scripture, Ezekiel 38-39. How does this fit into where we’re at?
Boykin: I don’t see how you can look at current events and not recognize that this is scriptural. As you look at ancient Put and Cush, you see that all coming together: from Ethiopia all the way over to Libya, that’s Put and Cush. If you look at Tubal and Gomer, you can go back and identify those as being areas in Turkey. And you see Turkey unraveling right now. I think the stage is being set for Turkey’s role in Ezekiel 38-39. And you look at Persia—Iran—today, and what’s happening there. And then you start looking at some of the other players in this, Sheba and Dedan and those places; that’s all identified today. See, I believe that Rosh, as the Bible refers to Rosh, I think that’s actually central Asia and not necessarily Russia, but central Asia. But, by the way, Russia controls it, so maybe Rosh is Russia. And I’m not a theologian, but I look at it from a historical perspective and you see it all coming together right now. And I think that we’re going to see, I actually think I’ll see it in my lifetime.
Ankerberg: When you look at that, when you see these folks coming together, talk about Russia for a little bit here. What’s been happening with Putin? Putin was now elected president again, and what does that mean? What’s he trying to do?
Boykin: Yeah, Putin is an old intel guy. Putin, remember he was in the KGB. Putin never accepted that the Cold War ended in a victory for the United States and the West. He’s never accepted that. Putin is the most powerful man since the Tsar and growing in power, even though he has some opposition now, from rock bands and others. He actually is more powerful now and he’s growing in power; he’s reestablishing the military. The Russians for 100 years have wanted influence in the Persian Gulf and in the Middle East. Today Russia’s only port in the Mediterranean is in Syria, which explains why the Russians have so passionately supported the regime of Bashar al-Assad and they are supporting Iran. They want influence in the Persian Gulf. And, of course, all the other Gulf countries have kept them out. Egypt kicked them out of North Africa, you know, decades ago. So they are trying to reestablish themselves in that part of the world. They want influence there. And it’s just like Hitler wanted North Africa because there was energy there. And Putin wants the same thing, but he also wants to corner the market on the oil and natural gas, because right now that’s his greatest source of revenue for the Russian economy.
Ankerberg: When you see this coalition of nations that the prophet Ezekiel was given this information by God, this coalition of nations are going to come together and they’re going to go against Israel, alright. And Iran is one of those that is part of that coalition, along with Russia, Turkey, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, these countries. And right now you’ve got chaos going in almost all of these countries, alright. How do you see that Ezekiel 38 coalition forming together? How does that come together in your mind?
Boykin: I think that it comes together as a global Caliphate, the theological super-state that Muslims, whether you’re Sunni or Shia, you believe in. I think the Caliphate that is being formed right now, that is bringing such hope to the Islamic world, I think that’s ultimately the major part of the coalition that will come against Israel there in Ezekiel 38-39.
Ankerberg: What would you say to Christians to encourage them in terms of being involved here in our country to be the salt and light that Jesus wants us to be?
Boykin: I really believe that Christians need to recognize that, if we don’t get active and start doing something, we’re not going to be able to fulfill the Great Commission. You know, regardless of what you think in terms of, you know, the rapture coming and God taking us out of here before things really get bad, we still have a Great Commission that we are to fulfill. Now, our faith is under the greatest attack today that it’s ever been in the history of this country, and we are losing our ability to fulfill the Great Commission. And I say, Christians, if you think that you can sit on the pew of a church, secure in your own salvation and think that that’s what God expects you to do, I think you need to pray about it. Because I do not think that’s what God’s expectations are. I think He has made us His army, His warriors, with a full expectation that we’re going to get out and do all we can to make sure that we can fulfill the Great Commission.
Ankerberg: General, our relationship, America’s relationship with Israel has been shaky for a while. What does Israel need from America?
Boykin: Well, first of all, as a nation of believers, they need our prayers. And this should be a passion for us to pray for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. Secondly, though, from a hardware perspective, they need munitions that they don’t currently manufacture. They need munitions that will go deep underground and explode in bunkers, you know, particularly for the Iranian nuclear program. They need tankers to refuel their aircraft. They need ships off the coast to help protect them from incoming missiles. They need a number of tactical things as well as strategic things that only America could provide. But, most importantly, they need our prayers. And then they need our support in the United Nations. We need to stand with them in the UN. We need to be a voice for Israel at the United Nations, which has become totally anti-Semitic.
Ankerberg: Alright, next week, General, I’m going to ask you about what happened at the Family Research Council; because you’ve become an executive vice-president, and the day that a shooter came off the street and shot one of your people, you were there, and you know what happened. I’m going to ask you to tell the story and then how it was covered in the news. Folks, you won’t not want to miss that. I hope you’ll join us next week.
Notes
