A bankrupt nation with the largest army on earth

Afshin Rattansi talks to William Blum is the author of Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II, Rogue State: a guide to the World's Only Super Power. and West-Bloc Dissident: a Cold War Political Memoir.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• bailout
• hegemony
• bush
• cheney
• bernanke
• paulson
• billion
• obama
• mccain
• merrill
• bloomberg
• goldman
• nuclear
• iaea
• iraq
• iran

[HelenaXVI]

If America wants to be part of the club it needs to get its ass kicked. Other nations have oppressed each other throughout centuries. We know what it is to have our cities bombed, our women raped and men hanged. America hadn't yet become independent and it already wanted to conquer Canada, lol. You can't make war without knowing what it feels like, you know.

[1HelpingMany]

@fRoMeThEwEsT

War does make money, but only for the rich who already have their hand in the pot. As you can see the U.S. has been at war for 10 years now and the economy has declined each year.

The same thing happen with Rome. When you over extend yourself with to many things you don't take care of what needs to be the first priority.

And trust that the U.S. wants no part with China. The U.S. only goes after armies they can beat easily. Usually brown countries.

[1HelpingMany]

@fRoMeThEwEs

How do you consider a country who's deficit 14 trillion and climbing the richest country in the world. You shouldn't just look at one side of the numbers. You have to take everything into account.

The only reason the dollar "was" the standard for the world currency is because the deal that was made with the Saudi's in the past.

Now countries are dumping their dollars because its worthless. Saddam wanted to use the Euro and not the dollar so America made up rumors and attacked him

[fRoMeThEwEsT]

The US is the richest nation in the world. Not Monaco or Luxembourg. This is why the US is the global money how do you think people trade with different currencies? You trade your money through the US. The US will not decline. All nations go through ruts like the US economic going down right now. One way to get out of the debt is producing more products. This works great for war. Your making products and people have jobs. The economy will go up. Unless the US wants to pick a fight with China?IDK

[TheARMAProductions]

@asperin Well such a large military budget is not doing any good for the US deficit (you need it to keep the petrol $ secure) although you are just a tad deluded if you think 'the 2nd amendment and local militias is enough to take care of America' matey. I'm afraid pea shooters are not going to defend you against thermo nuclear weapons, cruise missiles, air power, armour etc etc lol

[Metsada007]

All over the world there are literally tens of millions of families who are victims of western terror one way or another.

[916ppl]

Largest military. The Russian and the Chinese army outnumber ours by far. Also, half of the 1.3 million American in service were National Guards called to service to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. While, Russia, China, and India both have 1.3 million troops in service and are not involve in any major conflict. Russia is fighting rebels in its Southern Federal States.

[iooo007]

funny america says it's a free and fair country but at the same time they spend like 4,5% of the gdp on military while europe for ex spends only 1,5% ,isn't that a simple sign that us is a militarized country ? why would you spend so much of your gdp if you don't want to take advantage of the army?

[ThatKittyWhoCamps]

what are we gonna do if north korea and south korea fight?

is they UN gonna help them w/o america?

[jhunted7667]

THINK about if you legalize pot just in california ,well all the pot heads would move there which would cause other states recover finnacially and in productivity but to make it legal everywhere then crime will increase everywhere and so would state costs , as for the military  you just need to look at the soldiers , the temptations and the costs