Fleming latest to smear Obama on national security

Via Steve Benen, Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) has joined the chorus of figures on the right who have smeared Barack Obama's loyalty to this country. In a short article for The Daily Caller, Fleming alleges that Obama is "undermining this country’s national defense on purpose" -- a grave charge to issue against the President of the United States (emphasis added, italics in original):

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I work daily to ensure our men and women have the resources they need to protect this country, and I continue to be dismayed by the national security policies coming out of this White House. Simply put, President Obama is disadvantaging the United States one step at a time and undermining this country’s national defense on purpose. Whether he is catering to the anti-war leftists or truly doing what he thinks is best for our security, the president is leading this nation down a very dangerous path.

As I've shown, conservatives have repeatedly suggested that Obama is disloyal to this country since the earliest days of his 2008 presidential campaign -- a smear campaign that builds on post-9/11 accusations that dissent against President Bush aided terrorists. In addition to radio and TV pundits, the list of offenders includes current and former Republican members of Congress like Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Senator Kit Bond (R-Mo.), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and now Fleming. The updated timeline of attacks on Obama's loyalty is here.

Comments

[David]

Much of Fleming's comment is factual. Obama is reducing military spending, with the approval of most Dems I know. Obama's actions are intentional. That is, he knows what amount of spending he's calling for.

My complaint with Fleming's comment is the placement of the word "undermining". From Fleming's POV the President's policies undermine our national defence, but, as Fleming acknowledges, Obama may feel that his military cuts are best for our security. So, it's fair to say that Obama is intentionally weakening our military, but it's unfair to say he's intentionally undermining our national defense.

[Marcus]

I don't think it's fair to use the term "weakening" on the face of it. If a case is made that spending is wasteful, redundant, or ineffective, for instance, I don't think spending cuts equate to weakening. You might just as easily use "honing" or "streamlining."