Which American President has done the most damage to US national security?

LTC Ed Ross — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 21:20:44 -0500

"The only US president that has done more damage to US national security than President Obama was Jefferson Davis."

Response by LTC David S. Chang, ChFC®, CLU® made Nov 16 at 2015 9:29 PM

LTC David S. Chang, ChFC®, CLU® — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 21:29:55 -0500

I think Obama definitely could have done more and as a result others like Russia moved in as a hegemonic power. I think regardless of the politician or political party, it is clear that we as the U.S. has to make sure that we remain strong in our national security and there is no letting up

Response by MCPO Steve Spence made Nov 16 at 2015 9:30 PM

MCPO Steve Spence — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 21:30:41 -0500

If the current president and Hilary are given enough time they would give away the White House.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Nov 16 at 2015 10:33 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 22:33:22 -0500

Obama. Jeff Davis doesn't count because he was not a U.S. president.

Response by CPO Andy Carrillo, MS made Nov 17 at 2015 12:37 AM

CPO Andy Carrillo, MS — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 00:37:24 -0500

Clinton:
WASHINGTON, May 10— The Clinton Administration notified Congress today that it had approved the export of technology to China to permit the launching of a communications satellite aboard a Chinese rocket next month.
President Clinton said in a letter to Congress that the transfer would not harm national security or significantly improve China's military capability in space. The President was required under a 1998 law to certify that all such technology exports are in the national interestThe certification was the first such notice to Congress under the law, which was passed in the aftermath of a Congressional uproar last year over the transfer of sensitive missile technology to China.

Mr. Clinton's notification also follows by less than a week the release of a report by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which concluded that lax monitoring of the launching of American-made satellites aboard Chinese rockets had enhanced the accuracy of China's ballistic missile arsenal.
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/11/world/clinton-approves-technology-transfer-to-china.html

Clinton Approves Technology Transfer to China

The Clinton Administration notified Congress today that it had approved the export of technology to China to permit the launching of a communications satellite aboard a Chinese rocket next month. President Clinton said in a letter to Congress that the transfer would not harm national security or significantly improve China's military capability in space. The President was required under a 1998 law to certify that all such technology exports...

Response by MAJ Bryan Zeski made Nov 17 at 2015 5:20 AM

MAJ Bryan Zeski — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 05:20:53 -0500

How is GW Bush not the obvious answer here? He intentionally started a war which has very clearly led to the existence of the most hostile and overt enemies we face today.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Nov 17 at 2015 5:41 AM

SFC Joseph Weber — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 05:41:50 -0500

I'd say George W. Bush did the most damage. President Obama has made a lot of mistakes but the damage was done.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Nov 17 at 2015 7:05 AM

LTC Kevin B. — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 07:05:34 -0500

I'd have to agree with MAJ Bryan Zeski and SFC Joseph Weber and say that George W. Bush has done the most damage. He started off great with going after Al Qaeda and the Taliban soon after the 9/11 attacks. However, his big mistake was when we diverted us into a completely unrelated war in Iraq, shifting our eyes off the real threat in Afghanistan, and therefore creating the power vacuum in the Middle East. Plus, how he handled the aftermath of that invasion directly led to the expansion of that terrorist threat across the region, and we're still dealing with that threat to this very day (and may be dealing with it for generations).

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Nov 17 at 2015 12:07 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 12:07:21 -0500

Looking at the entire list I'd have to say President Buchanan.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Nov 17 at 2015 12:09 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 12:09:39 -0500

President Woodrow Wilson and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) allowed significant damage to American interests and many USA citizens were killed before those Presidents allowed single acts against this nation to bring us into WWI and WWII respectively LTC Ed Ross.
I do think that POTUS Obama has probably done more to undermine our standing in the world and he has risked our national security in many ways. The fault lies with those citizens who voted for him both times. He told us what his priorities were and he has done his best to live up to them.
[Edit 4/13/2016] I was just told that my response was inane. Since this was posted in American History I tried to draw on history in my response. Was my response inane? COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Private RallyPoint Member SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SrA Christopher Wright SSgt Robert Marx SSgt Private RallyPoint Member

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2015 12:15 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 12:15:29 -0500

To each generation ... :)

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 18 at 2015 6:45 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 06:45:45 -0500

Simple. Obama

Response by PO1 Brian Carlson made Nov 19 at 2015 3:36 PM

PO1 Brian Carlson — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 15:36:14 -0500

I recall US Special Warfare members coming ashore as news reporters shined bright lights on them and filmed their entry into Somalia. This was during the Clinton administration. I have a problem with people blaming GW Bush for being a danger to National Security. The whole country was angry and and ready to go to war after 9/11. Congress voted for the war. The people and the government all were hyped up and public opinion was to retaliate. It was not until general public opinion got tired of the war that Congress done an about face and claimed that GW Bush tricked them into going to war. If GW Bush was powerful enough to fool Congress into starting a war, he was much more powerful and wise than people give him credit for.

Response by SGT Dana Williams made Nov 19 at 2015 4:02 PM

SGT Dana Williams — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:02:43 -0500

Our current President has done more infrastructure damage to the United States than any other President, and might I add ... more damage than Adolf Hitler!

Response by PO3 Michael Cardinale made Nov 23 at 2015 5:32 PM

PO3 Michael Cardinale — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 17:32:30 -0500

Obvious choice GW Bush.

Response by SFC Charles Temm made Apr 9 at 2016 10:02 AM

SFC Charles Temm — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 10:02:08 -0400

I would say that Buchanan is in the running for that title. Wilson also has a shot at it.

Not to nitpick but Davis was not a US president but that of the seceding southern states only.

Response by SGT Paul von Nahme made Apr 13 at 2016 12:01 PM

SGT Paul von Nahme — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 12:01:58 -0400

That is the most inane response possible to this question. Completely ignoring the fact that a draft dodger/deserter led us into an unwinnable war over a known lie for the purpose of enriching his family and his cronies, while getting over 4400 of our brothers and sisters at arms killed, and more than 100,000 permanently disabled. All this for nothing more than war profiteering and ultimately destabilizing the Mideast and western Asia with what we have today. For an obviously educated man, you are incredibly, willfully obtuse.

Response by SSG Jeremy Kohlwes made Apr 13 at 2016 11:35 PM

SSG Jeremy Kohlwes — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 23:35:19 -0400

I would say Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan are tied, but I am a bit of a history buff.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jul 30 at 2016 12:51 AM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Sat, 30 Jul 2016 00:51:13 -0400

The current inhabitant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave has done more to damage and destroy the United States Military than the combined forces of the Axis Powers prior to 1943.

The worst days in US Military History: The Attack on Pearl Harbor, Kasarene Pass, Task Force Smith, and the inauguration of Barak Obama.

Response by SGT Arthur Tompkins made Oct 4 at 2017 6:58 PM

SGT Arthur Tompkins — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 18:58:08 -0400

Well that's is interesting. He was never the President of the United States. He was the President of the Confederate States .

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 22 at 2017 9:16 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 09:16:47 -0400

Ah, Jefferson Davis wasn't a US President. I think that Clinton and Carter did more damage to national security. Clinton allowed OBL to traipse around the world creating global chaos with al Qaeda while Clinton dismantled the US Military. Carter got bullied by the Soviet Union and Iran, both of which we are still paying for. Obama precipitously withdrew from Iraq and set the conditions for Benghazi and ISIS but both pale in effect to the damage that Clinton and Carter did.