Hegseth blind to climate threat

Dear Editor,

In his recent speech to hundreds of senior U.S. military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the Trump administration has removed what he called "politically correct and toxic ideological garbage" from the military.  Hegseth specifically announced an end to "climate change worship" within his department.

In response, I want to draw attention to a remarkable document on climate change and national security.  “A Climate Security Plan for America: A Presidential Plan for Combating the Security Risks of Climate Change" is signed by more than 20 admirals and generals, including Rear Admiral David Titley, former Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy, and General Gordon Sullivan, former Chief of Staff of the Army.

This comprehensive report asserts that increases in extreme weather “can devastate essential energy, financial and agricultural centers that undergird U.S. and global economic viability and the well-being of our populations.”  It calls for initiatives to improve the resilience of our critical infrastructure and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and globally in order to avoid “catastrophic security consequences.”

Notably, the U.S. military has expressed concern about climate change since the George W. Bush administration, and dozens of Defense Department documents on this issue can be accessed at climateandsecurity.org.

Hegseth's emphasis on advanced weaponry, "the warrior ethos," and "maximum lethality" is futile against rising sea levels, storm surge, extreme heat and more intense wildfires.

As psychologist Abraham Maslow observed, if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. 

Terry Hansen, Milwaukee, WI