[jessaustin]

This is a seriously nutty belief, that you claim to have. This year the increase in our military spending was bigger than Russia's entire military spending. We could cut our military budget in half and still dwarf China's.

[throw_this_one]

Hah, what is funny is that you think military spending amounts means much at all.

First of all, there’s asymmetrical warfare. Russia’s investment in cyber, hypersonic, etc.

China’s investment in medium range missiles to create access denial for the US in the pacific.

Plus factor in that the US budget is bloated because of these corrupt fat cat defense industry companies, huge waste, etc...

[chishaku]

Given US foreign and economic policy intent on dominating every corner of the planet [0] and the universe [1], could you blame China, Russia, or any other country for doing everything they can to reach parity with the US?

Giving up all your rights in the name of endless wars on everything is a path to a sad ending for the US and the world.

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-spectrum_dominance

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarisation_of_space#United...

[jessaustin]

...Russia...China...

Wow their military must be much smarter than ours. Or perhaps they are held responsible for their performance?

...US budget is bloated because of these corrupt fat cat defense industry companies, huge waste, etc...

So... does all of this argue for more or less civilian oversight?

[throw_this_one]

Lol who holds them responsible? Not civilians, I can assure you.

They’re just more nimble because they’re top-down leadership. Not as good at expressing the people’s will, but more nimble at implementing autocratic decisions.

[jessaustin]

Wait, "expressing the people’s will"? Who in this conversation does anything like that? Certainly not USA. We didn't vote for spending three-quarters-billion-dollars-a-year on a military that hasn't accomplished anything in over five decades. Neither did we vote to spend the untold hundreds of billions we spend "in the black budget" on the even less effective unsupervised services. The last four presidents have run for office promising less militarism, but not a single one has delivered on that promise. "People's will", what a joke.

[jessaustin]

  s/three-quarters-billion-dollars-a-year/three-quarters-trillion-dollars-a-year/

Why is that so hard to type?

[legerdemain]

Our armed forces are safeguarding Americans from a worldwide foe that could show up anywhere on the globe.

To beat the world, we have to outspend the rest of the world combined on defense.

Perhaps the greatest danger to American defense is insider threats. If the looming danger from insider threats is stark enough, we will absolutely need to find a way to outspend ourselves on defense.

[dontcarethrow2]

This safeguarding is likely what is keeping us in danger. We don't have to pretend we are policing the world anymore, enough time has gone by to be able to say it's mainly modern day imperialism. We can work on our defense on this side of the planet without outlining 'the enemy' with outposts and guns pointed at them for 'our defense'.

[jessaustin]

Obviously GP is ironic and really agrees with you. "Outspend ourselves"? Does this phrase mean anything? Not even the war pigs are this silly.

[dontcarethrow2]

And I was agreeing with them, just translating it into my own rant. Excuse me, but when I hear you smarties(not you specifically, threads lately in general) picking up pitchforks in the name of freedom, you will hear the silly squeal. And unfortunately, the 'war pigs' seem to be the sharpest in the shed by far.

[DarthGhandi]

From virtually everyone else's perspective the US is the worldwide foe.

Your foreign policy has had horrendous effects on the world for the last 50+ years.

[throw_this_one]

Lol what a trite and uncritical comment.

Yes I’m sure we are the foes of Europe (30 countries), of South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Australia, NZ.

Of Brazil, Mexico, the Carib, Colombia.

Georgia.

The list goes on and on. Countries in our sphere are doing very well. They have democratic governments.

Yes there are some stupid foreign policies I abhor as much as you. So if something is wrong a few times, it’s completely evil? Laughable. Apply that logic to the rest of the world and see what you get.

[asquabventured]

The fewest number of deaths per capita from war that the world has ever seen over a 50 year period?