A military parade down Pennsylvania Ave. – a good idea?

A national defense analyst says he completely supports President Donald Trump's desire to hold a grand military parade in Washington, DC.

After eight years of Barack Obama's military budget cuts, Trump thinks it would be a great idea to have a parade celebrating America's military and troops. The president was inspired to hold such an event after watching the huge Bastille Day Parade in Paris last summer.

But the political left is hysterical, saying that a parade is too expensive and a symbol of authoritarian regimes. According to columnist Tammy Bruce, they express revulsion at the idea of military vehicles parading down Pennsylvania Avenue – as well as concern that it might make Trump "even more popular."

Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis (USA-Ret.), senior fellow for national security at Family Research Council, doesn't see it that way. Instead, it's about honoring U.S. history, he says.

"We just came out of eight years of Barack Obama and anti-Americanism and anti-military," Maginnis tells OneNewsNow. "And [we need to be reminded about] the sacrifice that it took our forefathers over the last 250 years to buy the freedom that we enjoy today."

Maginnis, who participated in hundreds of parades during his military career, says a grand parade sends a message to friend and foe alike.

"It says we have a mighty military that is capable and ready to defend [America's] freedom – and of course, it does help recruitment," the defense expert adds. "We're an all-volunteer force and a lot of young people who have never considered the military need to re-think about it. A parade often engenders that sort of patriotism we would want to help spur retention as well as recruitment."

Columnist Bruce says there's another important reason to have a parade: "to signal to the world that America is back, our hands are untied, and we are again standing up."