I’m curious how recent events will effect public perception on this topic.
Humans have the unsettling habit of making war. It’s been going on since the dawn of civilization.
I think it unwise to think the world is without threat as we have all been seeing on Twitter over the past 10 days.
That said, I also think the defense lobbyists in DC are basically fleecing the American tax payer and that, collectively we could use the money we give to them in a far more useful way. So, I do still support cutting defense, because our military budget is already bloated. And I’m against the kind of corruption that the defense lobbyists and politicians engage in
It's not a matter of spending, but military priorities. There was no reason to establish "defensive" weapon platforms so close to Russia. We were warned for years not to do it, and then we did it anyway. Russia is hardly the good guy but NATO has created a classic security dilemma with its hawkish foreign policy, all because the western billionaires want to isolate Russia in order to perpetuate a one-economy. It needs to stop.
It's not a matter of spending, but military priorities. There was no reason to establish "defensive" weapon platforms so close to Russia. We were warned for years not to do it, and then we did it anyway. Russia is hardly the good guy but NATO has created a classic security dilemma with its hawkish foreign policy, all because the western billionaires want to isolate Russia in order to perpetuate a one-economy. It needs to stop.
That's a neat way to say you're all in for Putin.
But Hamish, don't you see that our refusal to allow Ukraine into NATO was a direct provocation aimed at Vladimir Putin?
Look what we MADE him do. By doing as he asked.
You spend too much because you maintain bases and facilities all around the world. Care to guess how many American military personnel are on one island, Okinawa? 26,000. Care to guess what that costs? And that's just one out of dozens of examples.We spend too much, and what is happening now doesn't change that fact. Why should the US carry the financial burden of the entire rest of the world on their shoulders?
You spend too much because you maintain bases and facilities all around the world. Care to guess how many American military personnel are on one island, Okinawa? 26,000. Care to guess what that costs? And that's just one out of dozens of examples.
That defense cut won't matter until we actually have to fight somebody. Unless of course you believe that one nation generally tries not to fight with another that is as strong or stronger than they are. ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure , I believe they say.I’m curious how recent events will effect public perception on this topic.
Humans have the unsettling habit of making war. It’s been going on since the dawn of civilization.
I think it unwise to think the world is without threat as we have all been seeing on Twitter over the past 10 days.
That said, I also think the defense lobbyists in DC are basically fleecing the American tax payer and that, collectively we could use the money we give to them in a far more useful way. So, I do still support cutting defense, because our military budget is already bloated. And I’m against the kind of corruption that the defense lobbyists and politicians engage in
Yup...we are in agreement. We spend so much to provide security for the rest of the world. And that spending often goes right from our tax dollars and into the economies of those countries. Like your example, bases are often leased, so there is money. Then you have all the support jobs that are done by Okinawa. Then you have all the Service Members going out and spending their money in Okinawa.You spend too much because you maintain bases and facilities all around the world. Care to guess how many American military personnel are on one island, Okinawa? 26,000. Care to guess what that costs? And that's just one out of dozens of examples.
I do still support cutting defense, because our military budget is already bloated.
Do you have a good idea of many overseas bases we should have in order to provide security to our friends and allies around the world?Yup...we are in agreement. We spend so much to provide security for the rest of the world. And that spending often goes right from our tax dollars and into the economies of those countries. Like your example, bases are often leased, so there is money. Then you have all the support jobs that are done by Okinawa. Then you have all the Service Members going out and spending their money in Okinawa.
So who exactly was responsible for leaving behind between $10 and $80 billion of defense equipment for the Taliban goat herders to figure out how to use against their enemies?I BARELY support maintaining our defense. The blatant misuse and misappropriation of our Defense Budget infuriates me. Reading an article several months ago about the sheer waste committed in Afghanistan absolutely blows me away and leads me to believe that the Pentagon hands out millions, no billions, to contractors to build roads to nowhere, planes that will never fly, and prisons that will never be finished or ever see a prisoner, all on the taxpayer's dime, does nothing to ensure our continued freedom or our allies. Obviously, with this latest provocation I think it's great we have the military we have but a serious audit by outside forces should be conducted and the bloat should be trimmed.
Less spending on bullshit and perhaps more spending on upgraded cyber security infrastructure and training, and also weapons that actually work would be the best thing for everyone. The Pentagon seems to be allergic to the idea of any real audit though and gee I wonder why.
on the taxpayer's dime, does nothing to ensure our continued freedom
You’re creating a historical scenario that diverges so far from OTL that you can’t possibly claim that with certainty.Wouldn't that presume the Russian nation in general and the Putin regime in particular have no pre-existing interests save reactionary responses towards what outsiders do, Northern Light? I see no evidence that even had NATO had not expanded one inch since the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine would not still be in the same position they are in now.
The decrease in comparative military power in why things like this can happen. We aren't what we were in the 80's.Well...I cant ignore the fact that all those billions and billions spent on "defense", and that didnt stop a 'Stan from getting invaded halfway around the world.
So...yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Spend that money on ANYTHING at all besides warmongering. House the homeless. Feed them.
We do spend too much but it isn't because we carry the financial burden of the rest of the world. It's because there is money to be made in making weapons.We spend too much, and what is happening now doesn't change that fact. Why should the US carry the financial burden of the entire rest of the world on their shoulders?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?