Posted on 02/18/2018 5:27:47 AM PST by Leaning Right
Is our military budget too small, or is our mission too large? Since 2001, the U.S. military budget has more than doubled in nominal terms and grown over 37% accounting for inflation. The U.S. spends more than the next eight countries combined.
It’s really hard to argue that our military is underfunded, so perhaps our mission has grown too large. That mission includes being currently involved in combat operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Niger, Libya, and Yemen. We have troops in over 50 of 54 African countries. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost over a trillion dollars and lasted for over 15 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Great Point, RP!!!!!
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Obama was a very evil force for America. He admired the world’s dictators and cared not at all for the rights of the people at home or abroad, only for the establishment to mechanisms to extort power & dollars from them.
The facts on Obama were out there, I was incensed when he campaigned for Odinga and sent American $ to help but there were only crickets, the MSM was silent.
The bigger threat is debt in this world. What do you think will happen once we can't afford anything because of the weakness of our currency. England failed for being overstretched and in debt. We are creating the same problems. We prospered by not involving ourselves in every world conflict.
That benefited us in the past and will in the future. China is currently following a similar edge. They didn't have to sacrifice and keep peace in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet they benefited. They don't keep the oceans safe. Yet they benefit, etc. All that advantage is on our debt.
You are advocating foreign welfare. That's never worked. Other countries benefit for our sacrifices and debt. European vacation, less spending on their militarism.
'What of genocide? Do you propose to step aside?'
Yep. Happens all the time. Big deal. At the end of the day, you have to help your country first. After that, it's gravy.
“Move our troops from Germany to Poland - reducing costs and letting Putin know we are moving forward, not leaving.”
That was my first thought.
The Germans don’t like us and the Poles would be happy to see us.
Win/Win.
Putin’s Russia ain’t the old USSR, even if they could give a nasty first punch.
“Make the Kurds and Israel our official military allies in the Middle East; move our bases in Turkey to Iraqi Kurdistan, letting the mullahs in Tehran know we are moving forward not leaving;”
Well that would drive the Pali’s absolutely bonkers. And it would get us out of Turkey, a good thing.
“and move our Navy to ports in Israel from the Persian Gulf - telling the Gulf States and the Saudis to get Navies of their own to defend their oil shipping lanes.”
That would maybe be putting too many eggs in too small a basket? IDK.
“Move our 39,000 troops out of Japan to South Korea and the Philippines - more forward with the Norks and telling Japan to beef itself up.”
SK might be on board with that, not sure about Dutuerte in the PI though.
Is this a better strategy considering China’s island building?
It would definitely make Rocket Boy crap his pants.
One of the reasons none of the above will happen is money.
It would cost hundreds of billions of dollars to close bases and open new ones. Maybe trillions?
But what am I talking about, the pubbies love spending like democrats.
Another consideration; any move from Japan would be celebrated as a victory by China. Even if we are just shuffling troops around their propaganda arm would make hay of it.
These are just my first blush thoughts. If I’m wrong show me and I’ll reconsider.
Good luck with that reasoning. Luckily other hands hold the tiller.
A cheaper US dollar is upsetting to purchasers of foreign goods but great for American manufacturers. POTUS is working to make America more self sufficient; we can not be dependent on countries which we may be in conflict with because in the event of war we will be in desperate straits.
The weaker $ will allow exports of America products at lower cost and raise the prices charged in USD by our foreign competitors, protecting our manufacturing sector and allowing it to expand, incidentally creating high paying jobs.
Contrary to your premise the weaker $ does not increase our debt; it decreases the debt in real terms because the debt is denominated in USD and would be paid off in $ that are less valuable at the current time then when the debt was incurred. That is why the loss of the USD as the base universal currency would be a disaster.
BOTH.
Poor title - should be, is our budget too small or is our mission too big. Easy, mission is way too big. We cannot save the world by destroying America. Cut all the freebees and giveaways to not only to the world, but to here at home.
We pick and choose what genocide we will address and what genocide we will ignore and tolerate, based on our national interests and little else. Although the United States will engage in SJW causes if the leadership leans left, but historically such ventures have proved little in return. It is a cold hard world out there, and frankly it is tiring being the policemen of the world, with an all volunteer force. I was reading an interesting perspective of the people who join the military. It is mainly people who has served and their children who join (a family thing, if you will). Like me and mine. My grandfather was in WW II, my dad went to Vietnam, I spend 16 years in the Army and my daughter is a full time reservists in the Army. But this pool of recruits is shrinking, and kids graduating today are less inclined to join the military.
I meant “spent” not “spend”
Good luck with that. Who needs NK, Isis or others when we have congress and parties who keep repeating the same mistakes. We are not immune from being a failed state. Demographics, immigration, debt, etc and your running around here spouting off about protecting Somalia. And somehow we are gonna trade our way out of this. Too bad people with a similar belief are running our government, for the benefit of other countries.
I agree. We are not the world’s policeman nor should we be. On the other hand if it was decided that it was in our strategic interest to act in a situation, genocide or not to step aside without the mission complete or the situation stabilized would not only waste the lives, work & dollars spent but would make it more difficult for America to have the reputation that factors into keeping us safe at home. I mentioned genocide to bring home the point that there are sometimes irreversible consequences for pulling out not because we need to involve ourselves in conflicts that we are not committed to by treaty or national interest.
Thank you for your service and your family tradition of service. Our military is indeed the best of us and we should be doing more to recognize that service and provide for those who have served & sacrificed. Hopefully the service will become a sought after opportunity as we MAGA and there are proper funds to develop and maintain our military.
Thanks brother.
Why not check the facts and put them in historical context. We spend less $ on our military in terms of % than in any time since WWII.
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Very TRUE and rarely considered by those who spout off without thinking.
Will never forget my Marine son telling me he didn’t have enough ammunition to properly train his men. Since “every Marine is a rifleman”, I couldn’t believe the politicians had sunk so low.
The problem is that the U.S. lets problems around the world sit and fester. Fix lots of small problems with overwhelming might and the bigger problems will get smaller.
Cuba and Venezuela need regime change. Higher a contractor to run the countries until they get their crap together.
-the procurement process stinks and is full of process that drives cost and schedule.
-the maintenance items aren’t sexy and don’t garner any votes, so they’re ignored.
-the social engineering is a complete waste and at odds with the mission.
-too many programs are ‘designed by congress’ to ensure employment in their districts, rather than allowing customers to establish requirements and then having contractors to design and produce the best product.
> We are not immune from being a failed state. <
That’s an important point. Awhile back I was reading an article about the fall of the Roman Empire. The author listed all the usual reasons for the fall. A corrupt Senate, emboldened barbarians, etc.
But then he added one more: The Romans could not conceive of their empire collapsing. No way could Rome possibly fall. So they did’t bother to take steps to prevent it.
Molly, that is heartbreaking. Our servicemen need to have the materials they need to keep safe, to wage war from a position of strength & superior force. They need to be paid well enough and their dependents provided for so that they can have peace of mind while deployed. It is shameful that their families are scraping to make ends meet. POTUS has been steadfast in his support for the military and I can only hope & expect that that support will translate into a safer, better prepared military and a living wage.
Back when Putin first took office, he shrunk the number of troops massively, like in half, and pulled back from forward positions.
He used the money to MODERNIZE his entire military, to the point of being able to shoot down Israeli aircraft and send ours running for their lives.
We need to do something similar...either shrink down and modernize (which probably wouldn’t be smart), or spend what’s needed, to at least catch up to the Russians and hopefully get ahead of them again.
We still have troops in Germany because the other Europeans do not trust the Germans.
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