When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, we were promised a “peace dividend,” a reduction in military expenditures with a commensurate cut in taxes. This never really happened.
Clinton half-heartedly tried to cut the Pentagon budget, but quickly realized the lobbyists were well entrenched, and he was up against a brick wall. When George W. started his totally unnecessary Iraq war, military spending skyrocketed again, this time off-budget so as to hide the real costs from the voting public.
The Soviet Union and Saddam Hussein are gone now; we are out of Iraq, and Afghanistan is winding down. There are few real military threats anywhere in the world, yet our 2011 military budget of $708 billion was larger than that of the next 38 countries combined. We still maintain 737 military installations in 130 countries around the world, spreading us so thin we couldn’t immediately respond with the force needed to repel a major attack.
President Eisenhower warned against the military-industrial (Congressional?) complex in his farewell address. This powerful lobby is committed to maintaining the highest possible level of military spending, irrespective of geopolitical realities.
Defending against terrorist organizations is more of an intelligence and special forces operation requiring less massive ground, naval and air forces or nuclear weapons. Isn’t it time we re-assessed our priorities and reduced this obscenely wasteful military spending?
Talk about lowering the deficit. Wow!
George B. Reed, Fort Oglethorpe
Obama half-heartedly tried to cut government waste, but quickly realized the lobbyists were well entrenched, and he was up against a brick wall. So he invited them into the White-House to work for him.
When Obama started his totally unnecessary 800 Billion Dollar Stimulus package, Government spending skyrocketed again, this time off-budget so as to hide the real costs from the voting public (CBO reports $3.27 Trillion). He continues to give money (Millions) to "green companies" that promise "pie-in-the-sky" energy production but have yet to bring down energy prices, much yet even continue to operate; even though oil, gas, and coal are tried and true energy sources and are more abundant in the US than in the Middle-East.
I have a security system, a dog, and a gun. I also have nosy neighbors all of which may be a bit much but I know my house is secure. I also pay for Police to protect my township. How much security is too much?
I pay for gas and electricity that comes from the ground and rivers; gas and oil in my car so I know it will work even if the sun does not shine or I can't find a electrical outlet to plug into...
Would not you rather the Government spend your money on security and productive energy than insecurity and fantasy?
Sure there will be waste, that's why our government should be accountable to its citizens and politicians fined for losing our money.
I am agreeing with you on your points and inserted Obama's name because he is an obscenely wasteful, bad investment. I can live with the over-spending on the military because it brought the Wall down when the USSR could not keep up.