Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Poll coming later. Do a search to see how many places in the world our military is stationed. Remember when Clinton sent troops to Bosnia/Kosovo and said they'd be home by Christmas? They're still there. In fact, we even have bases in places from World War 2 and Korea. I've heard the strategic reasons for those bases but I also know Congress uses the excuse of "visiting the troops" for their taxpayer paid family vacation overseas. All the money those troops are pumping into the local economy overseas could be going to the local economy along our Mexican border and sea port areas.
Emphatically yes! There are some that need to stay, and I would include Japan and Korea among them due to the N. Korea nutcase, but many can and should come home!!
Bah, can't really vote in your poll since my options aren't represented, but I do think most can be safely closed.
Poll coming later. Do a search to see how many places in the world our military is stationed. Remember when Clinton sent troops to Bosnia/Kosovo and said they'd be home by Christmas? They're still there. In fact, we even have bases in places from World War 2 and Korea. I've heard the strategic reasons for those bases but I also know Congress uses the excuse of "visiting the troops" for their taxpayer paid family vacation overseas. All the money those troops are pumping into the local economy overseas could be going to the local economy along our Mexican border and sea port areas.
We still have troops positioned to protect West Germany from East Germany. I'd rather have them positioned to Protect California from Baja California
It's time for western Europe in particular to fend for itself. It's been long enough and they have the resources. Not to mention I'm tired of smug Europeans lecturing us about our spending priorities -- particularly our defense spending versus our relative lack of a social safety net -- when their safety net is made possible precisely because of our defense spending. It's easy to pay for generous entitlements when someone else is providing the bulk of your security umbrella. If I had my way that free ride would end tomorrow.
Would you be willing to write to your state's senators and representatives on this issue? Propose it as a spending cutting measure as well as a way to introduce tax revenue into state and local economies if those troops are brought home and spend money here instead of overseas.
I found my senator and representative's websites and contacted them both. Below is what I wrote to them.
Please review the number and location of our military bases on foreign soil. We still have bases from WW2, Korea, and Kosovo/Bosnia. Let's work to close those bases and redeploy our troops to our nation's border with Mexico where the drug gang violence is now spilling over into our country. We can also deploy our US Navy from the Gulf of Mexico (including Louisiana) and Pacific ocean areas to help stop drug runners coming from Mexico and Central and South America. By redeploying those troops back to America, we would be doing several things all at once. First, we would be saving taxpayer dollars in this cost cutting measure. Second, we would be using our troops for national defense to protect our borders. Third, we would be pumping tax revenue into local city, state, and federal government instead of foreign governments. And Fourth, we would be sending a message to the world that we are no longer in the business of being the "World's Police".
It's time for western Europe in particular to fend for itself. It's been long enough and they have the resources. Not to mention I'm tired of smug Europeans lecturing us about our spending priorities -- particularly our defense spending versus our relative lack of a social safety net -- when their safety net is made possible precisely because of our defense spending. It's easy to pay for generous entitlements when someone else is providing the bulk of your security umbrella. If I had my way that free ride would end tomorrow.
If we insist on keeping bases in other countries, perhaps we should allow other countries to have military bases here on US soil?
Like China, so they can protect their interests here?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
