Pentagon requests $200 billion for Iran war… where are all the “fiscal conservatives”?

[80zephyr]

And the US is "mentally stable"? Not a chance.

The US does not want to wipe someone off the map.

 

[frigidweirdo]

The US does not want to wipe someone off the map.

Except the Iranian regime, the Saddam regime, the North Korean Regime...

 

[Captain Caveman]

/—-/ So? We’re carrying the weight of NATO.

I don't think so, there's an agreed amount to pay being 2% of GDP. There are seven members that pay more than the US. The US pays 3.22% of it's GDP. Stop paying too much, knock 1.22% off. The US decides to pay too much and then twines it's carrying the weight of NATO

I remember once going to Florida with the family, we were all knackered. Woke up in the morning to find my dad and brother had been to Publix, did the shopping, demanded $bla bla contribution off everyone and said, "We're not doing this again for you all".

Your post made me relive that Florida moment.

 

[80zephyr]

Except the Iranian regime, the Saddam regime, the North Korean Regime...

We wanted to do it to the Nazi's as well. I suppose that makes us the bad guy.

 

[Cellblock2429]

I don't think so, there's an agreed amount to pay being 2% of GDP. There are seven members that pay more than the US. The US pays 3.22% of it's GDP. Stop paying too much, knock 1.22% off. The US decides to pay to much and then twines it's carrying the weight of NATO

I remember once going to Florida with the family, we were all knackered. Woke up in the morning to find my dad and brother had been to Publix, did the shopping, demanded $bla bla contribution off everyone and said, "We're not doing this again for you all".

Your post made me relive that Florida moment.

/----/ Captain, you're talking about % of GDP. That doesn't tell the full story, since the US has the largest GDP.
This is the "real" cost of NATO. It represents the money each country spends on its own military forces that are then available for NATO operations. In 2025, total spending by all members is estimated at $1.59 trillion USD.

The United States accounts for roughly 62% of this total, while European allies and Canada have dramatically increased their spending over the last two years.

Top 10 NATO Spenders by Absolute Dollars (2025 Estimates):

1. United States: $980.0 Billion
2. Germany: $93.7 Billion
3. United Kingdom: $90.5 Billion
4. France: $66.5 Billion
5. Italy: $48.8 Billion
6. Poland: $44.3 Billion
7. Canada: $43.9 Billion
8. Spain: $35.7 Billion
9. Türkiye: $32.6 Billion
10. Netherlands: $28.1 Billion According to official 2025/2026 data from NATO, the following are the top 10 spenders by absolute dollars (estimated in USD).
    
    
    

 

[Captain Caveman]

/----/ Captain, you're talking about % of GDP. That doesn't tell the full story, since the US has the largest GDP.
This is the "real" cost of NATO. It represents the money each country spends on its own military forces that are then available for NATO operations. In 2025, total spending by all members is estimated at $1.59 trillion USD.

The United States accounts for roughly 62% of this total, while European allies and Canada have dramatically increased their spending over the last two years.

Top 10 NATO Spenders by Absolute Dollars (2025 Estimates):

1. United States: $980.0 Billion
2. Germany: $93.7 Billion
3. United Kingdom: $90.5 Billion
4. France: $66.5 Billion
5. Italy: $48.8 Billion
6. Poland: $44.3 Billion
7. Canada: $43.9 Billion
8. Spain: $35.7 Billion
9. Türkiye: $32.6 Billion
10. Netherlands: $28.1 Billion According to official 2025/2026 data from NATO, the following are the top 10 spenders by absolute dollars (estimated in USD).
    
    

If there are 3 people in your house each earning $50,000, $80,000, and $100,000 per year and you all decide to pay a percentage of the house bills on a pro rata basis, say 2% of salary, it's obvious the one paying 2% on $100,000, that figure is greater. In your mind, they all should pay $4,600 each.

The US pays $980bn because that level of GDP (wage) is there. Spain pays $35.7bn because that level of GDP (wage) is there.

I remember doing a job with a mate and the customer (name changed to Dave), said, "Blimey, my corporation tax bill has jumped up to £13,000". My mate said, "Dave, you need to pay that because YOU EARNED it". It then dawned on Dave.

I suggest America quits trading and producing quite a bit so it's GDP falls that much that it only needs to pay $35.7bn. Maybe like Dave, it might dawn on you.

 

[pknopp]

If there are 3 people in your house each earning $50,000, $80,000, and $100,000 per year and you all decide to pay a percentage of the house bills on a pro rata basis, say 2% of salary, it's obvious the one paying 2% on $100,000, that figure is greater. In your mind, they all should pay $4,600 each.

The US pays $980bn because that level of GDP (wage) is there. Spain pays $35.7bn because that level of GDP (wage) is there.

I remember doing a job with a mate and the customer (name changed to Dave), said, "Blimey, my corporation tax bill has jumped up to £13,000". My mate said, "Dave, you need to pay that because YOU EARNED it". It then dawned on Dave.

I suggest America quits trading and producing quite a bit so it's GDP falls that much that it only needs to pay $35.7bn. Maybe like Dave, it might dawn on you.

The problem is what we produce. Its in what we print.

 

[Cellblock2429]

If there are 3 people in your house each earning $50,000, $80,000, and $100,000 per year and you all decide to pay a percentage of the house bills on a pro rata basis, say 2% of salary, it's obvious the one paying 2% on $100,000, that figure is greater. In your mind, they all should pay $4,600 each.

The US pays $980bn because that level of GDP (wage) is there. Spain pays $35.7bn because that level of GDP (wage) is there.

I remember doing a job with a mate and the customer (name changed to Dave), said, "Blimey, my corporation tax bill has jumped up to £13,000". My mate said, "Dave, you need to pay that because YOU EARNED it". It then dawned on Dave.

I suggest America quits trading and producing quite a bit so it's GDP falls that much that it only needs to pay $35.7bn. Maybe like Dave, it might dawn on you.

/----/ No, I'm not saying every NATO member should pay the same dollar amount. I posted in message #114 that "We’re carrying the weight of NATO." and my dollar amounts prove that.

 

[Captain Caveman]

/----/ No, I'm not saying every NATO member should pay the same dollar amount. I posted in message #114 that "We’re carrying the weight of NATO." and my dollar amounts prove that.

No it doesn't.

Yourself and your point or arguement is, at best, disingenuous. Don't come the old soldier with me.

 

[Cellblock2429]

No it doesn't.

Yourself and your point or arguement is, at best, disingenuous. Don't come the old soldier with me.

/——/ Once more. The US carries the bulk of NATO.
Top 10 NATO Spenders by Absolute Dollars (2025 Estimates):

1. United States: $980.0 Billion
2. Germany: $93.7 Billion
3. United Kingdom: $90.5 Billion
4. France: $66.5 Billion
5. Italy: $48.8 Billion
6. Poland: $44.3 Billion
7. Canada: $43.9 Billion
8. Spain: $35.7 Billion
9. Türkiye: $32.6 Billion
10. Netherlands: $28.1 Billion According to official 2025/2026 data from NATO, the following are the top 10 spenders by absolute dollars (estimated in USD).

 

[IDIOCRACY]

For 4 years I couldn’t open this board without someone screaming about generational theft, the debt clock, and government waste. You almost had strokes over student loan forgiveness. You called Ukraine funding a “blank check.”

You cheered DOGE gutting Medicaid because “we simply can’t afford it.” The “fiscal responsibility” card has been permanently revoked, so don’t ever lecture anyone on this board about spending.

Now the Pentagon wants $200 billion for Trump’s Iran war, on top of the $150 billion already stuffed into reconciliation, and suddenly the debt clock is on mute. That’s $1 billion a day, and the first 6 days alone cost $11.3 billion, almost exactly what your party just cut from SNAP to “save money.”

Fiscal conservatism was never a principle. It was always just a weapon, put away the second Dear Cult Leader decides he wants to blow something up without justification, an exit strategy, or a price tag anyone’s allowed to question.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-seeks-more-than-200-billion-budget-request-iran-war-washington-post-2026-03-18/

200b ain't shit the returned value. Trump knows how to do shit leaving democrats confused and clueless, it's complicated.

 

[Captain Caveman]

/——/ Once more. The US carries the bulk of NATO.
Top 10 NATO Spenders by Absolute Dollars (2025 Estimates):

1. United States: $980.0 Billion
2. Germany: $93.7 Billion
3. United Kingdom: $90.5 Billion
4. France: $66.5 Billion
5. Italy: $48.8 Billion
6. Poland: $44.3 Billion
7. Canada: $43.9 Billion
8. Spain: $35.7 Billion
9. Türkiye: $32.6 Billion
10. Netherlands: $28.1 Billion According to official 2025/2026 data from NATO, the following are the top 10 spenders by absolute dollars (estimated in USD).

Yourself and your point or arguement is, at best, disingenuous.

 

[Cellblock2429]

Yourself and your point or arguement is, at best, disingenuous.

/—-/ Percentages lie. Real numbers don’t.

 

[frigidweirdo]

We wanted to do it to the Nazi's as well. I suppose that makes us the bad guy.

The difference in WW2 was that the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor.

 

[Cellblock2429]

The difference in WW2 was that the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor.

/——/ Our supply ships were being sunk by u-boats before pearl harbor.

 

[80zephyr]

The difference in WW2 was that the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor.

Doesn't matter we could have killed every one of the,.

 

[frigidweirdo]

Doesn't matter we could have killed every one of the,.

It makes a HUGE difference. If you don't know the difference, you're a psychopath.

 

[Crepitus]

For 4 years I couldn’t open this board without someone screaming about generational theft, the debt clock, and government waste. You almost had strokes over student loan forgiveness. You called Ukraine funding a “blank check.”

You cheered DOGE gutting Medicaid because “we simply can’t afford it.” The “fiscal responsibility” card has been permanently revoked, so don’t ever lecture anyone on this board about spending.

Now the Pentagon wants $200 billion for Trump’s Iran war, on top of the $150 billion already stuffed into reconciliation, and suddenly the debt clock is on mute. That’s $1 billion a day, and the first 6 days alone cost $11.3 billion, almost exactly what your party just cut from SNAP to “save money.”

Fiscal conservatism was never a principle. It was always just a weapon, put away the second Dear Cult Leader decides he wants to blow something up without justification, an exit strategy, or a price tag anyone’s allowed to question.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-seeks-more-than-200-billion-budget-request-iran-war-washington-post-2026-03-18/

They drank the kool aide.