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We can solve the deficit problem easily enough by just cutting our military spending in half. We would still be spending more than any other nation on Earth for national defense, but if we cut it in half we can easily afford to rebuild our own country's infrastructure and dig ourselves out of debt at the same time.
As it stands now, we spend nearly the same amount as the rest of the world combined! Maybe it's time we start letting France and Germany pay for their own national defense! I'm getting a little tired of paying high taxes so that we can maintain a standing Army in Europe 60 years after WWII, while at the same time the French spend almost nothing on national defense, but can afford to give all their schoolkids laptops.
We can solve the deficit problem easily enough by just cutting our military spending in half. We would still be spending more than any other nation on Earth for national defense, but if we cut it in half we can easily afford to rebuild our own country's infrastructure and dig ourselves out of debt at the same time.
As it stands now, we spend nearly the same amount as the rest of the world combined! Maybe it's time we start letting France and Germany pay for their own national defense! I'm getting a little tired of paying high taxes so that we can maintain a standing Army in Europe 60 years after WWII, while at the same time the French spend almost nothing on national defense, but can afford to give all their schoolkids laptops.
You do realize that by cutting military spending in half, you would effectively be condemning thousands of soldiers to death....
The reason our spending is so high is because we invest heavily in military technology so that our troops do not have to get into firefights all the time. Our "expensive" ships, missiles and planes take out a lot of the enemy combatants and save the lives of thousands of our troops who would otherwise be forced into a live fire combat situation...
The reason the defense spending for other countries like China and N Korea is so low despite having a massive military is they don't care how many of their troops get killed, they arm them with rifles and send them to battle like it was still WWII.
Not to mention a poorly equipped and funded military would not attract a lot of volunteers, which would require the US to maintain staffing levels by drafting people into the military like in other countries. Are you ready to be drafted? Chance you'll have to take if you cut funding in half....
And France is a poor example to use. France has always been the "little brother" waiting for "big brother" to go and bail them out of trouble. Happened in WWI. Happened in WWII. Vietnam was a French colony that rebelled, so they asked for US troops to help put down the rebellion. Well the French quickly left, and the US had the Vietnam War. Not suprised the French attitude in regards to defense persists today.
There may be a time when we can cut military spending in half, but today ain't it.
Anyone noticed what China and Russia are doing as far as escalating the arms race? Add N. Korea to that . . . I only wish we had spent MORE and had implemented the "Star Wars" system back in the 80s.
Typical neoconservative fear mongering... Why are you people so afraid of everything?
Easy to answer you on that one...
WWI
Had aprox. 15,000,000 people killed
WWII
Had aprox. 55,000,000 people killed
WWIII
Will be in the Billions...
What side do you want your family on? I might point out that in both the first and second World Wars, we were trying to be a sideline sitter, and we still got sucked in. The last great war will be a lot shorter and more violent that anything ever before in History as were the previous two in their timelines.
Feel free to keep sticking your head in the sand, but I would much rather be on the long end of the stick than the short end and Obama is trying to give our end of the stick away...
What side do you want your family on? I might point out that in both the first and second World Wars, we were trying to be a sideline sitter, and we still got sucked in. The last great war will be a lot shorter and more violent that anything ever before in History as were the previous two in their timelines.
If another world war starts and nukes are used, it really won't make a bit of difference where you or your family are, what you believe, or how many bombs we have. It will be over for everybody, and the remains of the planet will be rendered totally uninhabitable if you are unfortunate enough to survive.
Our military spending exceeds the GDP of Australia. Large cuts wouldn't hurt a thing, starting with closing most of the 700 military facilities we maintain around the globe.
You do realize that by cutting military spending in half, you would effectively be condemning thousands of soldiers to death....
The reason our spending is so high is because we invest heavily in military technology so that our troops do not have to get into firefights all the time. Our "expensive" ships, missiles and planes take out a lot of the enemy combatants and save the lives of thousands of our troops who would otherwise be forced into a live fire combat situation...
The reason the defense spending for other countries like China and N Korea is so low despite having a massive military is they don't care how many of their troops get killed, they arm them with rifles and send them to battle like it was still WWII.
Not to mention a poorly equipped and funded military would not attract a lot of volunteers, which would require the US to maintain staffing levels by drafting people into the military like in other countries. Are you ready to be drafted? Chance you'll have to take if you cut funding in half....
And France is a poor example to use. France has always been the "little brother" waiting for "big brother" to go and bail them out of trouble. Happened in WWI. Happened in WWII. Vietnam was a French colony that rebelled, so they asked for US troops to help put down the rebellion. Well the French quickly left, and the US had the Vietnam War. Not suprised the French attitude in regards to defense persists today.
I think it's high time we stopped being France's (or any other country's) "big brother". We're bankrupting our own country with these policies. Not to mention the loss of life--58,000 US troops killed in Vietnam. For what? Was Vietnam ever any threat to the USA?
Why is it the responsibility of the USA to defend the rest of the world? The US military should be for defending the USA.
We can solve the deficit problem easily enough by just cutting our military spending in half. We would still be spending more than any other nation on Earth for national defense, but if we cut it in half we can easily afford to rebuild our own country's infrastructure and dig ourselves out of debt at the same time.
As it stands now, we spend nearly the same amount as the rest of the world combined! Maybe it's time we start letting France and Germany pay for their own national defense! I'm getting a little tired of paying high taxes so that we can maintain a standing Army in Europe 60 years after WWII, while at the same time the French spend almost nothing on national defense, but can afford to give all their schoolkids laptops.
Typical neoconservative fear mongering... Why are you people so afraid of everything?
I reprefer to think about it in non-polotical, non-partisan terms as a reasonable caution given the state of the world and proliferation of nuclear weapons in less than friendly and less than stable hands. I assume you're aware of Iran and North Korea, aren't you? Next up may be Pakistan or one of the middle-eastern or African countries to which the DPRK is trying and has been selling nuclear technology and materials.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spot
Keep in mind that we are building stealth submarines for Gods Sake. It's has nothing to do with protecting ourselves from any real threats anymore.
If you truly believe there aren't any real threats in the world anymore, as much as I hate to say it, you're delusional!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spot
Our spending accounts for 45% of the WORLD'S TOTAL! That's more than 10 times any other country! Tell me, how did that work out for us on 9-11? [b]
Precisely! Thanks for making my point for me.
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Maybe it's time we start letting France and Germany pay for their own national defense! I'm getting a little tired of paying high taxes so that we can maintain a standing Army in Europe 60 years after WWII, while at the same time the French spend almost nothing on national defense, but can afford to give all their schoolkids laptops. 
