The US military budget is more than quadruple that of any other country. The US spends more money than all of the other ten biggest spending countries combined - at least 7 of which are firm allies. In fact, 41% of all defence spending in the world is spent by the US. The US spends more as a % of GDP than any other country except Saudi Arabia - whose total budget is around 7% of that of the US. I think this is ridiculous. So ridiculous that I don't honestly think it is a question of defending US interests as much as funding defence contractors. I can totally understand that the US feels it needs to have the edge of China and Russia - but having an edge should not mean you have to triple their spending. The US could easily slash 25% of its defence budget without compromising safety and security an inch. You could close the bases in Germany and maybe Japan for a start. Cutting 25% would mean a saving $177 billion per year - money that could be better spent to pay off debt, surely. Do you agree?
I agree that you are an uninformed idiot. Unfortunately your posts are not ignorant enough to qualify you as Chief Dunce. Although I admit the bar is very high. The cost to being the world's superpower is high. But like divorce, it costs a lot because it's worth it.
There's a lot of fat in that budget. Especially, when members of both parties vote for things the military doesn't even want, because it helps their state.
The modern age has evolved new aspects of military action and capacities. The fascination with huge, complex and vulnerable weapon systems is largely misplaced. Much more can be done today with much less. Aircraft carriers, for example, make wonderful and spectacular targets. Technology has already taught us that manned fighter planes are less and less necessary and at the same time more and more expensive. Offering a potential enemy such a prize is questionable. Main battle tanks could also be cheaper, smaller, lighter, faster, consume less, go further if remotely guided. Drones and robots could replace ground troops in many situations and augment them in many more. There are and must be new ways to look at the military situation. Of course, the best situation is to have as few enemies as possible. Peace is cheaper than war.
Slashing the military budget at a time when Russia and China are quickly increasing theirs=stupid. You'll never know when you need a powerful military. All of europe and Japan, Tawain, South Korea might need us. I agree with replacing some of our airforce with drones, unmanned bombers, ect. Unmanned tanks for the ground... Logical next step.
That must be a big issue for states that have Boeing, Lockheed etc. In one way I can understand politicians wanting those jobs, but it's not really free enterprise if the army doesn't need what they get given.
Really? And yet Russia and China's budget combined is 210 billion. The US spends more than 700 billion. Why is that necessary?
What the US is doing by it's large military expendature is setting up the USof A for it's own demise, just as all previous super powers have experienced. But, at the moment, the military of the US enforces global economics that are a benefit to the US economy.
