As many as we can afford after taking GOOD care of the people who have already served, shoring up SSI and other earned benefits due to people who have paid into them in good faith, and investing in the infrastructure to be internationally competitive and lowering all tax rates to a much more reasonable amount.
Anything beyond securing the borders, having the intelligence and ability to take out terrorists, and fight one war is just neocon wanking for Empire. I care a hell of a lot more about my disabled best friend who is a Vietnam vet than I do about who runs Afghanistan.
I am not willing to pay one cent or spill one drop of American blood to effect ‘regime change’ or pay for the defense of a country like South Korea, Germany or Japan that can damned well do it themselves.
Then entire population of Asia or Africa or the Middle East (exception Israel) is not worth the blood of one American PFC.
> “As many as we can afford ...”
How many can be afforded?