by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“Robert Natter is the perfect speaker to have here two days before Veterans Day,” commented retired U.S. Navy Admiral and Rotary Club of Jacksonville Past President Jon Howe at the club’s meeting Monday.
Natter is also a retired U.S. Navy admiral and now works as a consultant in the realms of corporate and defense strategy. While on active duty, Natter was commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet in Asia and the first commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
He was called on by former Gov. Jeb Bush to represent Florida’s interests during the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.
Most recently, said Howe, “Bob Natter has been appointed by Mayor John Peyton to be Jacksonville’s fighter in Washington, D.C. to bring a nuclear aircraft carrier to Mayport.”
Natter, who serves on the advisory panel to NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, spoke about international issues including the war in Afghanistan.
“I was just over in Brussels (Belgium) and Afghanistan is issue No. 1 both for our NATO allies and the NATO commander there,” said Natter. “This nation has to make a decision about whether we are going to continue to pursue the issue of terrorism and its ability to grow in Afghanistan. The nation’s leadership is debating, in my opinion, a little too long over whether we need to have an additional 40,000 troops over there. I’m convinced we will increase the number of troops. It won’t be 40,000 based on what I’m hearing but more important, our country has got to come up with what our strategy is and what our mission is there and how our NATO allies are going to be part of the strategy in Afghanistan. In my view that’s more important than any number of troops in Afghanistan.”
He also said Pakistan is the key to the war in Afghanistan.
“I’ve been to the Khyber Pass and I’ve looked over into the valleys. It’s a no-man’s land. It’s definitely a tribal society if you can even call it a society. Pakistan has to very quickly discover for itself that the India-Pakistan border issue is not the problem. Their national survival will depend on how they can handle the internal threat of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Natter.
Iran’s nuclear program was also a topic Natter discussed. He said all the nations in the Middle East have a “growing and valid concern.” He also said if Israel should choose to attack Iran, “We’re going to have to make sure our forces in the region, especially our ships, our prepared and ready to act.”
On the issue of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier being stationed at Mayport, Natter also told the club members how important the military is to Florida’s economy. When BRAC was closing and consolidating bases all around the country, Florida did not lose a single military installation and actually gained military personnel through the process.
“Florida has 21 military bases and three joint headquarters,” said Natter. “There are 715,000 jobs in the state directly related to the military, which makes it the third-largest industry in Florida. Naval Air Station Jacksonville alone gained 2,500 recession-proof jobs through BRAC.”
On the subject of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier being stationed at Mayport, Natter said the last challenge was securing funds to dredge the channel in the St. Johns River. He said North Florida’s congressional delegation worked effectively behind the scenes and without making what he called a “big splash” in the media.
“It is in the national interest to put a carrier in Mayport. I’m not saying that, the Chief of Naval Operations has said it in sworn testimony. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has said it in sworn testimony. Two Secretaries of the Navy and two Secretaries of Defense have all said it. I can assure you based on my discussions with them, they are not going to turn around and change their views at this point.
“I would say I am cautiously optimistic that we’re going to have a nuclear carrier down here. I know politics and I know politicians, but our delegation and our leadership are working very hard,” said Natter.
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