CDZ Why is USA so pro-military?

[BlackSnowSlide]

If it's permissible to quote myself from a different thread, I'd like to repost this excerpt:

"Since 1950, the U.S. has deployed over 30 million troops overseas. Technically, we should call this 30 million troop-years: one troop in one country for one year is a troop-year. Ancient Sparta is remembered by history for the bravery of its 300 warriors fighting at Thermopylae. I often wonder if Americans will be remembered by history for the bravery of its 30,000,000. Here is why (from the abstract of a paper I am in the process of revising):

"For over six decades, the U.S. military has shaped international economic development, notably by way of 30 million U.S. troop-year deployments since 1950. Worldwide, life expectancy increased by 10 years between 1970 and the present. The mortality rate of children dropped from 132 per 1000 live births to 55. The number of telephone lines per capita quadrupled from 48 to 196 per thousand. And since 1990, the average country score on the human development index (HDI) increased by 7 percentage points. In each case, the improvement was faster in countries with a heavy U.S. troop presence and slower in countries with zero U.S. troop presence. These relationships stem from a very large dataset on U.S. deployments across the globe from 1950 to the present matched with World Bank data on indicators of social well-being since 1970 across 148 countries. The positive relationship between American forces and social development holds in econometric regressions even when controlling for initial income levels and initial social indicator levels.

"Here is a chart showing the increase in life expectancy, in years, from 1990-2007 with countries sorted by the number of U.S. troops hosted during 1990-2009 and by level of development (as defined by the World Bank).

View attachment 48999

"
from an article by Tim Kane, Growthology

The attached chart:View attachment 49776

 

[BlackSnowSlide]

A few reasons why we are pro military.

1. Our military is 100% volunteer.
2. Our military works very hard to be professionals.
3. People go into the military for love of country; not for money.
4. Our military and their support equipment are first to be called when foreign disaster strikes.
Why do we spend crazy money on our military? Why is our military so large?
1. We are constantly developing weapons that are "smart" in an attempt to limit civilian casualties. One smart lazer guided bomb runs 15-35 thousand. A single 1000lb dumb bomb costs 2 thousand.
2. Remember back in school; there was this huge muscle kid that you just didn't mess with because of fear of being crushed? Thats why it is so big. What limits them so often on crushing bad guys is the rules of engagement set by politicians.

 

[2aguy]

I've seen Americans go out of their way to thank their soldiers for "risking their lives for the country", but I don't really understand this sentiment.
It doesn't seem like America would be at war if they did not send their armies to places like the Middle East... and they're not really protecting Americans while they're stationed overseas. It almost seems like they're instigating a war, rather than protecting the American citizens.
I don't understand also this military worshiping culture. Why do you call them heroes?

You obviously forgot that there are other factors concerning our security, islamic terrorists operating freely in other countries with training camps came over here and murdered 3,000 Americans, and other nut jobs in the area keep trying to get nuclear weapons and chemical weapons to use over here and on our allies. Not to mention that the Europeans have spent all their money on welfare states and refuse to arm themselves against the threat of Russia……and Japan still has to change their constitution to rearm in the face of Chinese aggression……..

Our Military culture is one of average people…Volunteering to defend this country, to walk away from their own self interests and to take on incredibly dangerous jobs, in very harsh conditions, while we go on about our lives…..they are not forced to do it, they do it willingly….and they keep us safe. If you want to change their mission, change the politicians, but they are doing something to protect the rest of us.

 

[2aguy]

A few reasons why we are pro military.

1. Our military is 100% volunteer.
2. Our military works very hard to be professionals.
3. People go into the military for love of country; not for money.
4. Our military and their support equipment are first to be called when foreign disaster strikes.
Why do we spend crazy money on our military? Why is our military so large?
1. We are constantly developing weapons that are "smart" in an attempt to limit civilian casualties. One smart lazer guided bomb runs 15-35 thousand. A single 1000lb dumb bomb costs 2 thousand.
2. Remember back in school; there was this huge muscle kid that you just didn't mess with because of fear of being crushed? Thats why it is so big. What limits them so often on crushing bad guys is the rules of engagement set by politicians.

Thanks, excellent post……….