Military Spending

[drippyhippie]

He studied? Why so hawkish when our dollar is on the brink of destruction. "We've met the enemy, and it is us!" We spend, tax and spend way much more. This is not consersative (fiscal conservatives like alex hamilton) is is bible banging war mongering, conservative lunacy. Its propaganda from pentacostal or Bible churces who are trying to hasten the armaggedon to have their new reign of christ on earth nonsense.

[fogwat]

@drippyhippie Good lord now who is being paranoid. There truly are two solitudes in america if you think this of your christians.

[drippyhippie]

The facts show this is the case, you cant say its 4% of our economy because that rational for data is misleading. Look at the whole picture of the feds budget and consider how in debt our nation is. consider the costs of running 170 bases across the globe, occupying nations for long periods and can we afford it or not. Look at the pricetags of blackhawks, etc. CAN WE AFFORD IT or do we continue racking up debt, print more money, devalue our monetary system and have long-term inflation?

[Universa1ove]

two letters--> B.S.

[Jesteria78]

What crap is this? They should learn how to use a calculator. What an moron. But hey: let me help you, in 2009 the military spending was 794.0 billion, the total spending was 3,517.7 billion. So, 794.0/3,517.7*100 = 22.57%.

You should have paid attention to your teacher at grammar school.

(But, since you're too stupid or ignorant to calculate you won't notice that you're almost a nation that is flat broke.) Adios amigos!

[patrickcorliss]

@Jesteria78

It's lying by the selective use of statistics. What he's talking about is percentage of GDP not total spending.

The %age is probably much higher than you suggest as it doesn't include interest which is a big component of the overall budget. Other "Empire building" expense is also excluded.



[Leobons]

only 700 billion bawwwwwww

[Munic92]

50% is really to much. 5 % is ok and its enough for Afganistan, Iraq and fight against terrorism together.

[romeoneverdies]

ppl dont think that us spends alot on military what they have againts it is that its not usfful spending and its basicaly policing the world and invading other countries around the world for no better purpose than to profit the already verry wealthy ppl

[pmango1000]

@romeoneverdies: As a % of GNP, military spending continues a decline that has been going on since 1960s (when, because of the Vietnam war, defense spending was 10.7 %of GNP). That went down to 5.9 % of GNP in the 1970s &, despite a much heralded "defense buildup" in the 1980s, still declined in the 1980s (to 5.8 %) With the end of the Cold War, spending dropped sharply again in the 1990s, to 4.1 %. For the first decade of the 21st century, defense spending is expected to average 3.4 % of GNP.

[kellann55]

Lame...total PROPAGANDA for right wing military junkies and war mongers.

[rfd177]

it doesn't matter what we're spending - it isn't our money!

[olegthezenon]

Where did you get your statistics? ,the U.S is spending billions on their military.

[holytemplar]

what a joke.

[adrianfi7]

Don´t be stupid that does not justify the use of the military on a fake war against "terror". Or what about the 2.3Trillion lost from the pentagon admited by Rumsfield just the day before 9-11 are you counting those, it is irrelevant the fact is that the us industrial complex is robbing the us tax payer blind.

[controlpopulation]

Fuck the military and their wasteful spending. What a joke. We spend trillions every year on these jokers so they can bomb any country in the world without American citizen consent. I say cut their budget by 50% until these jokers get their act together.

[vanboi43]

im blacc~juss had to say that 1st~now when u look at other countries of the world they spen way more money than we do for are national defence we need to start spending 10 % of our nations wealth 2 make sure that tha most freest country is defended

[soulsniper7]

im white- Aman MA NIG

[romeoneverdies]

@vanboi43 your most freest country of the world is the "bullie" of the world ...

[Whoo69]

Couldn't we strengthen our defenses by not overextending ourselves with hegemony and empire? We need to bring all the troops home, end all these bases worldwide, and let the other nations defend themselves. It's time to stop policing the world and being hypocrites, dictating who can and can't get nukes when we already have 1000s of nukes!! Pakistan and India have nukes. Why didn't we say anything when they started?? Our whole foreign policy is fucked up. Supporting dictators and whatnot.

[Whoo69]

Our foreign policy, from the War of 1812 up until now, has been led by militarism, hegemony, policing the world, anger, and misguided ideology, rather than expertise, the facts, and logic. Any logical person knows the War on Terror is absolute nonsense. Aside from being misnamed, it's stupid! We can't "win" and get rid of all the terrorists. We just have to accept that they'll accept til the end of time and fight them anyway as best we can.

[NJRocks281]

I think the pentagon and the 2 million members of the executive branch know a bit more than you

[controlpopulation]

I doubt it. Americans should have NO faith in any political or military official especially when we are bombing countries who are not threat or have not attacked us in any way.  Our gov't and military are out of hand.

[romeoneverdies]

@Whoo69

i agree with you (mostly) as a result here is my view of the us military as a canadian you (the US military really) are the bullie of the world forcing your beliefs and economical crap down the troath of other countries . im not saying us ppl are bad bullies just that your gov is !

as for terrorist they only exist because of the bullies around the world . if us ppl and its gov where folloing the us constitution and the bill of rights then you would be reveared not feared .

[pmango1000]

@romeoneverdies : oh sure leave it to a leftist to again blame US policy for terrorism RATHER THAN THE TERRORIST'S IDEALOGIES!!! Especially consider that jihads existed before USA was even estalished in 1776!!! You d realize that you are repeating VERBATIM what Bin Laden and Al Quada leaders say??? You are no different than the people who say rape is casued by w oman dressing "slutty" YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. Most countries HAVE asked the USA to help them militarily by the way! Seriously idiot

[rstora01]

The US spends on defense more than the entire world combined. Part of the problem as I see it is the US is not getting enough bang for the buck. Over reliance on gold-plated conventional force projection. And neglect of the strategic nuclear deterrence will cost this country dearly someday.

[pmango1000]

@rstora01 : LOL..USA accounts for HALF of all world military spending not all combined...dumbass

[Whoo69]

What makes you guys think MORE interventionism and being the world police is the solution to all our foreign policy problems? Whatever happened to diplomacy? Isn't the Just War doctrine a good policy? The only major war we've won in the 20th or 21st Century with rapid success is world war 2. And that's we declared war, had a real strategy for victory, and did it by Just War theory. We're stuck in Iraq, and the mujahideen and taliban are back in Afghanistan, giving us more problems.

[Whoo69]

We already spend more than the rest of the world combined on defense!! Yet you expect us to increase it to 4% of GDP?? Are you nuts? Why do we need all this extra military equipment? We'll probably be out of Iraq and Afghanistan in a few years, so these weapons will just be sitting there goin to waste. And the military-industrial complex only further screws things up by overcharging the gov't for weapons, and there's all that waste, fraud and abuse in the military budget.

[sjakkspiller]

Members of the Defense Science Board in a 1997 report to the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology "Historical data show a strong correlation between U.S. involvement in international situations and an increase in terrorist attacks against the United States.

[CHENEYFILMS]

I agree 100% Search you tube for recon 7 down We as a nation forget that if your week other nations will attack US.

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

The heritage foundation is funded by conservative extremists, it is not a reliable source. It's basically is propoganda itself.

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

$350.4 billion is how much Bear Stearns is worth, (you spelled it wrong, but I wont hold that against you), but the feds lent what 30 million, and the defense spending is what over a trillion per year, and adding up. Seriously, state a fact or something. And yeah, I'm referencing the media to prove that it is basically what you are calling it "propoganda". And I didn't compare it to a timeline, I just stated the fact that this war is taking much longer and is proving more expensive.

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

A gradual change could have worked, but it seems like steps have not been taking; it would be nice if they would start soon though, because this could be what finally destroys our ecconomy.

[Calebhands]

did you say this could be what destroys our economy? OMG! Are you serious? The single action by the Fed to rescue Bear Sterns has more economic significance than the whole of the Iraq war. Did i hear you regurgitate that press propaganda comparing Iraq's timeline to WWII? Wow the similarities are striking! It's almost as if Iraq is so much worse because it's longer. Hey, that's the same reason i hear people say we should get out of Afghanistan too!

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

Really, the people who started the war are just trying to save face. But in addition, they are acting somewhat responibly by not withdrawing since it is a complete mess(we cant blame them for that). There's no point at blaming people when we need to work together towards finding a solution, and then end the war. Little has been accomplished, so there needs to be a change there, maybe new leadership. Iraqi's need to be given an opportunity to step up for when we leave?

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

With the trillions of dollars spent on "defense", we could probably find new cures for cancer ect. But the money isn't available in the first place, we SHOULD NOT, be spending that much.

[Calebhands]

why not? would you rather China or Russia be the number 1 military spender (=power) in the world? When the shit hits the fan, do you really want "them" to have the smarter bombs and better air power, tanks, ships, satellites, anti-missile systems, intelligence, security? or do you think all the forces we have at bases around the world really serve neither the cause of regional stability or our own financial benefit?  I don't hear many activists bitching about the cost of feeding refugees...

[Calebhands]

but many of our military operations around the world help prevent the kind of chaos that creates those refugees!

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

Yes and no, I would have been much more for a war in Africa; the human rights violations are completely out of hand there. But, a war like that in Iraq seems to have caused more pain and suffering than good? Sadam was obviously a bad person, but it was not our place to go in, and that wasn't the original reason for going in, it was (weapons of mass destruction). By spending 4 years(yes no?) in Iraq, longer than WW2, we are about to leave without having accomplished our goal.Parrallels vietnam?

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

No, I would rather be wealthy than "powerful"; we spend more than we have, and it is highly unlikely that anyone would strike war on us. Did I say anything about feeding refugees? (no) And no, I dont think invading countries provides a financial benefit at all.

[Calebhands]

why else do you think we do it then? lol

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

Thats actually a good question, it seems almost rhetorical; but the current war in Iraq was started with the threat of WMD's. But I guess after none were found the attention shifted to bringing down the regime, and finally stabilization. I think the only reason for not leaving right now is because it would be too much of a mess since there is so much conflict right now. But, it seems like the approach is wrong by not taking more steps for a shift to the Iraqi's.Elections were a start, but we

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

You really can't compare it with the GDP because that is an overall measurment of the economy (GDP = consumption + gross investment + government spending). If its so little money then why can we not have a balanced budget? It just seems wrong to spend more money on a foreign war than education here at home.

[Calebhands]

Including supplemental spending, how much do we spend annually on national defense? not sure exactly, but i've seen figures around 600b or 700b. Anyone know what our GDP was for 2007? Around 14 trillion.

OMG! they were lying! it's like totally almost 5%!

... and debt as a % of GDP isn't any worse than it's been in the past either.

[CARSONQUAMMSN]

Comparing it to GDP, that seems well... We account for 48% of the worlds military spending!!!!!! 1.738 trillion aka massive debt, average share per person in the US = 45,000 dollars. I am outraged.

[Calebhands]

no, you're stupid

[joesatube]

While this is not the usual pro-war garbage (name calling, character assasinating, and shouting) it's still garbage because even the IRS refutes the lie presented here. In the 2007 IRS 1040 form it clearly states 19% to equip, modernize, and pay our armed forces.  That doesn't include the private contractors that get paid several times what soldiers are to do the same thing. They're really shooting for the bottom of the barrel here when they put this lie out to see who bites.

[Calebhands]

while i'll openly admit that i haven't looked at the numbers... consider some terms here. *GDP*--Gross Domestic Product(aka total production).  I'm pretty sure 19% is a percentage of the budget (tax dollars), not GDP, since all taxes together account for only about 25% of GDP.

So try using your brain before you assume someone smarter than you is a devil "liar."

[GrandGuignologist]

US House votes to spend $50bn fighting Aids in developing nations.

[GWBushsuks]

true, if you dont include the " contracted " 200,000 people being paid by the govt such as blackwater, & halliburton. their exclusion from the heritage fund caculations is no accident people.

[bapyou]

Defense spending at 4% of our economy?

Riiiiiiiiiiight. Holy disinformation Batman!

[rsun1900]

I would rather trust the Economic Policy Institute a non-partisan organization for real numbers. I've read too many negative things about the Heritage Foundation being supported by super wealthy policy shapers and this is their disinformation, propaganda front. I've read they provide free materials to churches, community groups and create public interest front groups. Heck, I can look at the IRS website and know this guy's lying.

[taelwyngor]

The Economic Policy Institute is no more or less nonpartisan than the Heritage Foundation - they're merely on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

[rsun1900]

That's a pretty breezy response. The usual unsubstantiated shoot from the hip response from a true conservative. "No more or less non-partisan," pure rubbish. The Heritage Foundation is a heavily funded propaganda machine, that's all. The worst you could say about the EPI is conservatives don't like them because, they're concerned with the economic well being and health of all Americans. The military needs more billions for more sophisticated equipment? No way.

[dmccoig]

It seems to me that in the 1930s with the great depression, the GDP would be at its lowest and therefore the cost of WW2 would be high by %. I also believe that the distribution of $ in the 1930s went to a more diverse group of Americans in labor costs as opposed to huge defense contracts to a few well connected companies.

just my take on it

[EDS01475634763]

That's actually a very good point you have there. It's nice to see that someone thinks about it carefully before commenting. I especially agree with the money spent on defense going to a more diverse group of people.