While people can say the rate of increase remained in check (or decelerated), its an isolated statistic that doesn't take the GDP into account. Military spending as a percent of GDP rose quite a bit last year compared to the year before. It is troubling when military spending increases to any degree while the economy stagnates

Vets?

Some increases to benefits for soldiers, etc. Some changing of the way we spend to address terrorism. Some more cuts needed to be made.

I love how people continue to ignore the fact that there is no longer a war in Iraq for all intents and purposes.

I'm not ignoring SHIT, for all intents and purposes.

Anderson, Brushaun X., 20 years old
Croft Jr., David A., 22 years old
Jarrett, Michael R., 20 years old
Hurt, Gifford E., 19 years old

RIP, gentlemen.

So rare on DU these days. Thanks.

Its like judging a canvas by focusing at 1 square inch of the art. Absurdity.

Here is a fact: engaging abstinence has a 100% rate of success in preventing pregnancy and STD spread. Now, you can see how much of an idiot one would have to be to ignore all the other facts and make a policy or judgment on that one fact alone. Thats silly.

Applauding isolated facts isn't necessarily noble, or devoid of bias.

Please excuse my shameless suck up, but IMO, you express your perspective both clear and concise.
And, of course, I CONCUR. :thumbsup: :hi:

Both of which the admin are attempting to end. FACT.

That the current admin is trying to end.

Would you rather Obama say something like, "fuck you vets, just deal with your brain injuries and PTSD yourself"?

normal defense spending went down with total defense budget going up ONLY because of increases in the veterans benefits program and foreign economic aid(which falls under defense)

feel free to check it out:
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/defense_budget_2010_3.html#usgs302

as the overall defense budget increased

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x152555

Some good stuff, some not so good. We would not need to increase the levels of our force if we did not have two wars going on. Iraq War will eventually end based on the Iraqi's timeline (I hope)....but what about the Afghan War? It seems endless to me.

I'm sure someone is going to try and polish that turd.

The Defense Department budget includes VA and other services.

:thumbsdown: for ridiculousness

spending on kill machines is down.

It's currently at $128 billion (the additional $33 bilion brings it to $159 billion). So the administration is anticipating a nearly $80 billion drop from the current level.

The additional $33 billion brings the already RECORD HIGH defense budget of $708 billion up to $741 billion.


But trying to explain something to you is a complete waste of time. You're not interested in facts, that's not what you're here for.


Ciao. :hi:

$708 billion isn't war spending, $128 billion is.

Read again what I said and which is simply a fact, no matter how hard you try to spin it:





But I am really done with you, I'd rather debate a chair. :hi:

That's reality.

:hi:

Funny how those permanent cuts end up as an increase in Pentagon funding.

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like over 130 bases around the world? What benefit to our security does the naval base in Diego Garcia really have?

Prior to WWII we had a small cadre waiting to train a larger force if we needed it. Since WWII we have been building a massive Cold War force waiting for a war with the Soviets.

There are no Soviets any more and being responsible for the security of Japan, Korea, and all of Europe is hard to justify. Even harder to justify is using all this massive firepower to protect us from small bands of whackos who might try to bomb a building in Chicago or drop some viruses in San Francisco.

Next thing you know we will all be driving Trabants to our government job

:eyes:

Sorry, I'm not impressed.

http://industry.bnet.com/government/10004621/2010-defense-budget-full-of-adds-and-add-ons/

tail that wags the dog.

The Iraq war is ending, not continuing.

Not a trivial matter at all.

And the withdrawal from Iraq should be much faster. Why is anyone still being sent there?

The good natives in Iraq, not unlike the North Vietnamese did during the early 1970s are just "biding their time." The civil war will happen in Iraq. The Sunnis are ANYTHING but stupid.

We never learn: Occupations don't work.

their own Civil War?

:sarcasm:

However, such actions are consistent with a "scorched earth" policy of the American neo-liberal, war-profiteering crowd.

I didn't make a fucking argument genuis. I made a sarcastic remark and in other threads I stated my opinion. And what, exactly, has been "blown up?"

Overract much?

How did we make so many enemies that we have to spend almost ten times the next biggest spender, and as much as the rest of the world combined?

Source: http://www.borgenproject.org/Defense_Spending.html

The World's Largest Military Spenders
(Defense budgets in billions)

United States $522
China $63
Russia $62
United Kingdom $51
Japan $45
France $42
Germany $30
India $22
Saudi Arabia $21
South Korea $21
Italy $17
Australia $13
Brazil $13
Canada $11
Turkey $10
Israel $10
Netherlands $10
Spain $9
Taiwan $8
Indonesia $8
Mayanmar $7
Ukraine $6
Singapore $6
Sweden $6
North Korea $6
Poland $5
Norway $5
Greece $5
Iran $5
Kuwait $4
Colombia $4
Switzerland $4
Pakistan $4
Vietnam $4
Belgium $3
Denmark $3
Egypt $3
Portugal $2
Czech Republic $2
Romania $2
Argentina $2
Syria $2
Hungary $2
Cuba $1

And why is defense spending proposed to exceed $700 billion for the first time?

And how can China spend just $70 billion on defense but have a very adequate defense? Do you see people lining up to attack China because they only spend $70 billion a year on defense? So why is Obama spending $700+ billion?

Kicking and making a bookmark for little ole me. If i had to be truthful though, all and all, the irony was really kind of delicious :kick: