This is sad ...
The USA military expenditure, according to 2005 figures is US$ 548,531,000,000 per year.
This is almost 6 times more than the second largest military spender (China).
A simple calculation shows that the US can cut their defense spending by half, and still be at 3 times more than China.
This could balance their budget over the years too, and perhaps cause economic growth as well, while keeping them as the best defended country in the world.
The irony here is that for the USA to economically grow they need to balance the budget, rather than pile on deficits year after year. This is in their long term interest, and ensures they remain a world power. If they don't do that, they risk ceasing to be a world power, and would be like present day Britain for example.
But it makes too much sense, so it is not going to happen.
Detailed data here: List of countries by military expenditures.
Comments
Kayla (not verified)
I agree
Tue, 2010/08/10 - 21:03Yeah, there is always talk about military cuts or other cuts. I think the powers that be shy away from this because they don't clearly illustrate what it'll mean so the people kind of panic. ("What? Our military is going to be cut?? Isn't that a bad idea?") Most Americans probably don't realize that we have a military can survive on a little less without undercutting veterans (which is what most people assume will happen~ this point is never really clarified and why I think the idea doesn't get as much support as it could). I can understand why people panic over the veterans' benefits possibly getting cut (my father served in US Air Force for 20 years, so I would not be happy to hear he was getting benefits taken away after having to move his family around, work bizarre swing shifts, stay a year away from the family, etc, etc).
But I do know there is a way we can cut down on the budgets without always slashing away at the public schools (seriously, we don't even have a foreign languages program set in place and now art and music are being considered less important. And, whaaat? Are people REALLY talking about physical education cuts in a country with such a high rate of obesity?!) I also know they can cut the military budget WITHOUT it heavily affecting the veterans. When military cuts get brought up, though, veterans seem to be the only thing ever talked about in the media. Instead of addressing the actual military spending on things such as weapons, vehicles, etc.
Also, there seems to be a (light, but existing) general fear of the pure manpower behind the Chinese military as well as their government. Yet we are deeply indebted to China. There is irony here.
Anyway, there are a lot of things my country could definitely handle better. Especially the budgets. I don't like being trillions of dollars in debt.
Well, moving on, I enjoyed your little piece. It does make too much sense, so it probably won't happen (haha, what else is new?)!!