Laying out a "21st century battlefield" at home and abroad, U.S. Rep. Allen West warned Friday that America's economic and national security are under siege.
Speaking to a full house of 600-plus at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, the retired Army lieutenant colonel said China's military and economic expansion pose a direct threat to the United States.
Forecasting "an economic conflagration with China," the Boca Raton Republican noted that nearly 20 percent of America's $14.3 trillion debt is owned by Beijing.
"In eight to 10 years, the largest blue-water navy will fly under the Chinese flag. The Panama Canal is controlled by Chinese contractors," he observed.
West said China poses an additional threat through its aggressive campaign to lock up global energy resources, including deep-water oil reserves off Florida. He also called the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries "nothing but a collection of despots, autocrats and theocrats."
Meantime, the veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq declared that the United States is not taking the global terrorist threat seriously.
"We're affording the enemy the initiative. We must deny him sanctuaries, cut off his resources and understand there's a propaganda battle, too.
"Today's battlefield is totally different. The enemy will not be wearing a uniform. This requires us to step out of the normal routine and use the full spectrum of our national power.
"Political correctness cannot be part of our national security strategy," West said to loud applause.
Praising the tea party as a "constitutional grass-roots movement, irrespective of party," West said that American freedom depends on people's ability to "confront the ideology of big government."
"Run away from politicians who say they will create jobs," he advised.
Splitting from some of his Republican colleagues, West voted against this week's continuing resolution that funded the government for three weeks while trimming spending.
"Six billion dollars in savings over a three-week period is peanuts when we're spending $4 billion to $5 billion a day."
"If we don't turn spending around, we face fiscal Armageddon," he warned.
Before going on stage, West blasted President Barack Obama's latest "czar" -- this one to oversee military health-care spending.
"We don't need this," West said of the $165,000-a-year position.
West defeated Democratic Rep. Ron Klein last November in a bruising rematch in the 22nd Congressional District, which spans Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Since taking office, the 50-year-old congressman has continued to deliver his blunt brand of conservatism. At a Muslim town hall event in Pompano Beach last month, he told the Quran-wielding speaker: "You attacked us."
After initially getting the cold shoulder from the all-Democratic Congressional Black Caucus, West was eventually invited to join the group. He is the first black Republican in the CBC since Rep. Gary Franks of Connecticut was a member from 1990-1996.
West has drawn a Democratic foe for 2012, Fort Lauderdale businessman Patrick Murphy, who calls West an "extremist."
In an interview with Sunshine State News earlier this month, Republican strategist Karl Rove called West a "remarkably articulate spokesman" and a "powerful voice" for conservative principles.
Rove forecast that West, with help from redistricting by the GOP-controlled Legislature, should be able to hold onto his seat in 2012.
West was one of four Florida Republicans to take congressional seats from Democrats in 2010 -- an election that upped the GOP's delegation edge to 19-6.
Census gains will expand the state's congressional contingent to 27 next year.
Former Republican Rep. Clay Shaw, who held the 22nd District seat before being defeated by Klein in 2006, was honored by the Forum Club on Friday.
A moderate Republican, Shaw waxed nostalgic about "gentler times" in former Congresses. But, he quickly added, "The district is in good hands" with West.
"He's a rising star in the U.S. Congress -- and there aren't too many of those today," Shaw said.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 801-5341.
