GOP strategy on defense: Spend more, LOTS more
Last year, we spent more on our military than at any point since World War II, even after adjusting for inflation. But according to House Republicans, it isn’t enough.
Instead of cutting defense spending after our withdrawal from Iraq and pending wind-down from Afghanistan, they want to increase it. As U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN, “we’re moving dangerously close to the point where I don’t think we’ll be able to guarantee the security of the United States of America.”
That is also the position of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Instead of drawing down the number of active-duty personnel after the buildup to handle deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Romney proposes to increase active-duty troop levels by 100,000.
Romney also wants to spend a minimum of 4 percent of our gross domestic product on defense each year. In 2016 alone, that would mean an 18 percent increase — roughly another $100 billion a year — in projected spending on defense.
Again, this is what it looks like to be “dangerously close to the point where we won’t be able to guarantee the security of the United States of America”.
Source: International Institute of Strategic Studies
As the chart demonstrates, we spend 1.5 times as much on defense as the next nine biggest countries combined, and five of those nine are close U.S. allies who would be on our side in any fight.
– Jay Bookman
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529 comments Add your comment
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:05 am
I’m going repost one off topic from EARLY this morning from the mothers day thread as I think many readers here will be interested:
Donald “Duck” Dunn has died. One of my favorite blues players of all time. The list of people he played with is just too damn long to list here. He had one of the best lines in the Blues Brothers movie, “Jake ain’t lying. We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.” And truly that band they assembled for the movie truly was. I found a clip of him playing with Elvis (and smoking away on that pipe lol) but I thought it more appropriate to show him with his life long childhood friend and fellow musician, Steve Cropper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6MEb2xnLk
JB
May 14th, 2012
11:05 am
I’m in total shock this morning. Jerry Brown ( D) of California answer to the State 16 BILLION dollar short fall, announced that he needs to RAISE TAXES. Wow, new democratic game plan. NOT ONE DIME of cuts. After all, it’s HIS people he’s trying to help and the ones THAT DIDN’T vote for him need to pony up………on top of the highest state taxes out side of NY. I’m really shocked with his plan to solve this.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 14th, 2012
11:06 am
USinUK
living 70 years in the past is not healthy
we all know that europe depends on NATO for defense
and when we say NATO it is understood the U.S.
its time the U.S. lets each country pay the price for defense……
we have been stupid to let other countries use our arrogance against us and bankrupt ourselves to defend others
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:06 am
Paul:
O.K. Try any of these you desire as you try took at yourself in the mirror.
“For those that will fight for it…FREEDOM …has a flavor the protected shall never know.”
“Americans fall into two classes: the protected and those few who will protect.”
“You know, the old “sheep, wolves and sheepdogs” thing.”
“Some talk the talk, some walk the walk”
““Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea.” Samuel Johnson
Ooo Rah !
JB
May 14th, 2012
11:07 am
Be a good time to own a moving van company in California.
Paul
May 14th, 2012
11:08 am
JAMVET
That 11:01 was for you, not for Scout.
Mary Elizabeth
May 14th, 2012
11:09 am
Thanks, Paul. See the very end of the thread for the posts – last page.
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:09 am
I’m only for cutting the military if the Dems and Repubs agree that 100% of that cut goes to reduce th Fed deficit. I’m not for cutting the military to fund more give away programs.
Traniqua
May 14th, 2012
11:09 am
We overspend on defense because we have this ingrained notion that we must be the protector of the free world. We could shut down half our overseas military presence tomorrow and the world would be just as safe. Do we really still need 58 active military installations in Germany?
Don't Tread
May 14th, 2012
11:10 am
Cut defense spending to give more money to the “Dollars for Deadbeats” program. Spoken like a true blue Democrat.
And you can bet China’s spending on military programs is several times what they report it to be. Communists don’t have to worry about being truthful or dealing with voter backlash. They also have the financial advantage of stealing and/or reverse engineering our military technology instead of spending the money to develop it from scratch.
JB
May 14th, 2012
11:11 am
Oblama……………new money is to be spent, not reduce the debt. Not in their play book. It’s called getting out the VOTE.
xanuser
May 14th, 2012
11:12 am
sweet, we already spend 54% of every tax dollar on war…let make that 75%!
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:13 am
California voted for what they got in Jerry Brown….. another progressive (liberal) big spending socialist. We should not bail out California but that is what is about to happen…… and the timing is perfect – right before the Presidential election.
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:13 am
“you might want to look up the British losses in the battles BEFORE the US joined … particularly the Battle of the Somme …”
What’s your point? Notr being a smart ass, I just don;t get it. The British and the French wanted to take American soldiers away from American command and toss them piecemeal into the lines as cannon fodder using tactics that had already proven to be worthless. The horrendous loss of life by the British, French AND Germans doesn’t alter that fact. Nor the fact that the British and French “High Commands” looked at ‘Black Jack” Pershing as if he were some interloping upstart.
This European arrogance was still prevalent at the start of WWII. Send us your soldiers to die like good colonials. Ask the Australians and New Zealanders how that worked out for THEM BTW, as a matter of fact ask the Ghurka’s how they have been treated by the UK for their centuries of faithful service……………….
The European arrogance continues today. If anything it’s worse now thta we have saved Europes ass twice……..
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:13 am
Paul @ 11:01
You obviously have no concept for what it requires for a Ranger/Airborne Infantry unit to take an enemy airfield (or other area) far inland in a third world country from where the Marines could do it.
But then I didn’t expect you would.
barking frog
May 14th, 2012
11:14 am
The U.S. is invulnerable due
to Reagan’s star wars
program.
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:17 am
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:09 am
I’m only for cutting the military if the Dems and Repubs agree that 100% of that cut goes to reduce th Fed deficit. I’m not for cutting the military to fund more give away programs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Can we get a “hell yeah” on that one?
And all the people in the choir said, “Amen.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njcoJWqKEQw
Not Part of Romney's Flock
May 14th, 2012
11:18 am
“You obviously have no concept for what it requires for a Ranger/Airborne Infantry unit to take an enemy airfield (or other area) far inland in a third world country from where the Marines could do it.
But then I didn’t expect you would.”
He probably doesn’t it and nor do I, with that said you are kidding yourself if you think everyone who knows what it takes in reality and even conceptually is wanting increases to the military budget………. believe as you wish
TaxPayer
May 14th, 2012
11:18 am
By the way, cutting social program expenditures so that more money can be diverted to defense and more tax cuts for the wealthy does not reduce the debt or deficit. So, the Republican priorities of reducing the deficit while cutting taxes for the wealthy and increasing defense spending are a contradiction and just one of many that they are incapable of addressing honestly.
Paul
May 14th, 2012
11:18 am
Scout
11:13
“You obviously have no concept for what it requires for a Ranger/Airborne Infantry unit to take an enemy airfield (or other area) far inland in a third world country from where the Marines could do it.”
I thought military types were taught not to ASS-ume or to jump to conclusions?
Appears I was speaking of scale and you went off track with all or nothing.
One can have a core capability. What is not necessary is to take a bunch of headquarters types nearing retirement, with ranks of full colonel or general officer, and having them jump out of airplanes, not so they can lead the assault on the airfield waaay behind enemy lines, but just so they can collect jump pay.
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:20 am
Oblama would have been brave if he had stood up to the hissie fit thrown by the radicals on the left and the big money donations to his campaign over same sex marriage….. but he caved and my opinion is at an all time low.
Paul
May 14th, 2012
11:21 am
Scout 11;06
Sorry.
Never had a course where slogans substituted for critical analysis.
“Ooo Rah!”
Sounds like you may need more fiber in your diet….
TaxPayer
May 14th, 2012
11:21 am
You obviously have no concept for what it requires for a Ranger/Airborne Infantry unit to take an enemy airfield (or other area) far inland in a third world country from where the Marines could do it.
That one’s easy. President Obama just gives the order and it happens. I wonder if he says, Make it so? That would be so cool… and trekkie.
Lord Help Us
May 14th, 2012
11:21 am
Perspective, context and/or proportion do not appear to be in the GOP DNA…
JamVet
May 14th, 2012
11:22 am
1% tax on Wall Street
financial transactions.
Awesome, frog.
Quit penalizing labor.
And on the trillions of dollars in those transactions yearly, that represents hundreds of billions of dollars that Uncle Sam could use to, in theory, put to good use. (Schools, bridges, roads, etc.)
And could offset some of the money that we middle class schmucks send to him…
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:24 am
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:13 am
Paul @ 11:01
You obviously have no concept for what it requires for a Ranger/Airborne Infantry unit to take an enemy airfield (or other area) far inland in a third world country from where the Marines could do it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And neither do you. Vertical envelopment was a wasteful idea from the onset. The Marines refused to accept it don’tcha know?
What is it, 40-50% casualties expected BEFORE they hit the ground?
Besides, when was the last REAL combat jump performed by an Airborne unit larger than a platoon there sport that WASN’T a Special ops mission? I can’t remember if the drops in Korea were combat drops but the ones in Viet Nam and after wards weren’t. LOL This last “combat drop” was at an airfield already secured………..
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:24 am
The best way to cut the deficit it to vote out those that want to expand the government and spending programs………… that means 100 % of incumbent Dems and 50% of the incumbent Repubs. TERM LIMITS.
lovelyliz
May 14th, 2012
11:25 am
The GOP and Blue Dogs aren’t interested in sparing the military, just the military contractors
Ivan Cohen
May 14th, 2012
11:26 am
GOP strategy on defense apparently are “earmarks and “pork”. See the Republican members of Congress falling all over themselves to cram military projects into their districts.
TaxPayer
May 14th, 2012
11:27 am
Sounds like you may need more fiber in your diet….
Whatever you do, don’t say BooYah within shouting distance of a Republican. It’s like a mating call.
Erwin's cat
May 14th, 2012
11:27 am
What a silly chart…to use it as a decision maker is even more silly
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:28 am
If you want to cut the deficit – take free botox out Congress’s healthcare plan – of course Nanny Pelosi would object!
GOP strategy on defense: Spend more, LOTS more – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) « GoogleITV.com
May 14th, 2012
11:28 am
[...] GOP strategy on defense: Spend more, LOTS more – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) Share/Bookmark Tagged as: boring-white, cutting-defense, elections, house, journal, [...]
Hootinanny Yum Yum
May 14th, 2012
11:30 am
Jay,
Could you add a chart detailing the percentage of domestic GNP spent on defense for the countries you list?
JamVet
May 14th, 2012
11:32 am
Who says not to health care for all? The health insurance industry, the drug companies and HMOs.
Who’s against a living wage? McDonalds, Burger King and Wal-Mart.
Who’s against fair taxation, and against taxing speculation? Wall Street and the big corporations.
Who’s opposed to cleaning up and minimizing pollution? The corporate polluters.
Who’s against world peace and waging peace? The Lockheed-Martins et al in the military-industrial complex.
(Hat tip Ralph Nader.)
Jay
May 14th, 2012
11:32 am
Erwin, why is that a silly chart? And why isn’t it useful information in making such decisions?
Peter
May 14th, 2012
11:33 am
Yup America spends so much on defense so Corporate America can sell around the world, and have it’s back covered. Of course all at tax payer expense.
Has republican ever figured out how to pay for the George Bush wars ? NO… cause deficits don’t matter.
JamVet
May 14th, 2012
11:33 am
What a silly chart…to use it as a decision maker is even more silly
Now there is a compelling counter-argument!
Hootinanny Yum Yum
May 14th, 2012
11:33 am
Rank Country Spending ($ Bn.) % of GDP World Share (%)
1 United States United States 711.0 4.7 41
2 China Chinay 143.0 2.0 8.2
3 Russia Russiay 71.9 3.9 4.1
4 United Kingdom United Kingdom 62.7 2.6 3.6
5 France France 62.5 2.3 3.6
6 Japan Japan 54.5 1.0 3.3
7 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabiaz 48.2 10.4 3.0
8 India India 46.8 2.5 2.9
9 Germany Germanyy 46.7 1.3 2.5
10 Italy Italyy 37.0 1.8 2.3
11 Brazil Brazil 33.5 1.6 2.1
12 South Korea South Korea 27.6 2.8 1.7
13 Australia Australia 24.0 2.0 1.5
14 Canada Canaday 22.8 1.5 1.4
15 Turkey Turkeyy 17.5 2.4 1.1
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:33 am
Jay – Why don’t we just do away with the military all together? China will come in and you Dem’s will be in Heaven. Communism fort all!
Paul
May 14th, 2012
11:34 am
Fred
“Besides, when was the last REAL combat jump performed by an Airborne unit larger than a platoon there sport that WASN’T a Special ops mission”
Coulda been Grenada. Army did one just so they could say they still needed the capability.
TaxPayer
We’ve got a place here called MooYa. Them make great hamburgers.
Hootinanny
“Could you add a chart detailing the percentage of domestic GNP spent on defense for the countries you list?”
Do you want him to explain what the charts mean and what GDP is and stuff like that?
Okay, sorry…. I’ll just say ‘try google dot com’
too little time
May 14th, 2012
11:35 am
Frankly, the DOD budget is a debacle that many conservatives (including me) have a problem supporting. When GWB’s republican congress and WH spent like drunken sailors, it lost a LOT of support for the GOP. I believe that the GOP’s push for an even larger budget is both foolhardy and political suicide. We could easily cut the number of U.S military bases worldwide in half, and lop 30% off the Defense budget immediately.
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:38 am
“Broke Back Mountain II: Oblama Takes D.C.”
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:38 am
“Coulda been Grenada. Army did one just so they could say they still needed the capability.”
Wasn’t a combat jump Paul. The DZ (drop zone) had already been secured by ground troops. LOL The first elements of the Rangers that “dropped” in there landed in C130’s.
Oh and Paul? I AM a proud member of the paratroopers. But I know the reality of the situation. Helicopter insertion (air assault) is more realistic and less costly in terms of dead guys and equipment.
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
May 14th, 2012
11:39 am
Fred – “What’s your point? Notr being a smart ass, I just don;t get it. The British and the French wanted to take American soldiers away from American command and toss them piecemeal into the lines as cannon fodder using tactics that had already proven to be worthless.”
the point is that they weren’t using the US as cannon fodder – that is the way they fought the war at the time – tunnels / trench / going over the top. They didn’t ask the US to do anything that they hadn’t done / weren’t doing themselves.
you can’t judge WWI by modern warfare standards as it was the turning point
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:39 am
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:38 am
“Broke Back Mountain II: Oblama Takes D.C.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When are you going to Washington? Take some pics while you are there, will ya?
JamVet
May 14th, 2012
11:40 am
Oblama, your sarcasm drips of desperation. Can you offer something substantive?
I’ve noticed that none in the Parties of Permanent War have dared broach the subject of how the DoD welfare state makes huge profits every year by selling military hardware directly to foreign dictators around the globe.
Though that just happens to be counter to the interests of our own country…
Doggone/GA
May 14th, 2012
11:41 am
Oblama
“Oblama would have been brave if he had stood up to the hissie fit thrown by the radicals on the left ”
I’m at a loss to understand why you have to pull yourself down so much.
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:42 am
Are any of you Dems for cutting any thing in addition to the military? For example would you consider reducing the size of the Fed government employees?
John Birch
May 14th, 2012
11:42 am
Typical lib, Obama’s disastrous economic policies are coming home to roost (see market down again) so let’s slam the alleged GOP defense spending. Congress controls spending so until they pass a budget this is all just theoretical smoke. If O would do something positive about the economy for a change there would be lots more tax revenue to pay for that defense spending.
Finn McCool (The System Isn't Broken; It's Fixed ~ from an Occupy sign)
May 14th, 2012
11:42 am
Sorry to hijack, but we are sooooo screwed:
A new report has shocking findings about the connection between corporate funding and agricultural research
http://www.salon.com/2012/05/14/monsantos_college_strangehold/
ByteMe - Political thug
May 14th, 2012
11:42 am
When GWB’s republican congress and WH spent like drunken sailors, it lost a LOT of support for the GOP
And where did they go?
Paul
May 14th, 2012
11:43 am
Fred
That’s a great example.
Says a lot when a person who was part of an organization or had a certain skill set can say ‘it was good at the time, but now maybe it’s not worth spending on when we have new defense realities.”
Army fondly held onto their horse units for a long time, as I recall.
Air Force is still grudgingly being pulled along to field aircraft that don’t need a cockpit.
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:43 am
They didn’t ask the US to do anything that they hadn’t done / weren’t doing themselves.
Yes they did. They were asking the Americans to disolve themselves as military units and subjugate themselves to failed tactics.
You are arguing the wrong person when it comes to military history and tactics
I grew up on them and have studied them ever since. I go back to when Cain first lured Abel into a “neutral” field and blitz attacked him. 
Oblama
May 14th, 2012
11:44 am
Dog Pound – It’s my opinion – you don’t have to like it.
Paul
May 14th, 2012
11:45 am
Oblama
“Are any of you Dems for cutting any thing in addition to the military?”
Is every day a new day for you?
How many times are you going to read the answer “Pres Obama proposed cuts in Social Security and Medicare” before you stop asking?
Finn McCool (The System Isn't Broken; It's Fixed ~ from an Occupy sign)
May 14th, 2012
11:45 am
What Cons don’t seem to grasp is that Republicans are the party of big government. Look at the drop in public service employment under Obama compared to W or even Reagan.
Doggone/GA
May 14th, 2012
11:46 am
“Dog Pound – It’s my opinion – you don’t have to like it”
Well, if you have so little confidence in yourself that you have to constantly tear yourself down…maybe you should seek professional help. Such low self-esteem is not good for you.
Doggone/GA
May 14th, 2012
11:47 am
“How many times are you going to read the answer “Pres Obama proposed cuts in Social Security and Medicare” before you stop asking?”
What makes you think he read it at all? I suspect he stops reading after “Pres Obama”
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:47 am
Fred, Fred, Fred:
Good grief !
Vertical envelopment (by helicopter or Osprey) has long been an operational method for the Marines.
What planet are you on?
Impotent Rage Against the Obama Machine
May 14th, 2012
11:47 am
Dee-fense, aint that one of them gubmint programs?
Well, I’d be a hippycrit if I want mo mo mo of that, wouldn’t I?
Everything I said before that about not needin gubmint
would just be a lie wouldn’t it?
We ought to return Dee-fense to local militia control, anyway.
ByteMe - Political thug
May 14th, 2012
11:47 am
Dog Pound – It’s my opinion – you don’t have to like it.
And somehow that means we’re not supposed to challenge your opinion as being ridiculous? You seriously think that??
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:47 am
Paul, where it Air Force is concerned, it gets even worse. They are requiring fully trained pilots to “fly” drones. Although it’s been proven that they are no harder to fly than a video game (ie 12 year old boys would have no problem) they are requiring Commissioned officers who have to go through the whole flight training routine to “pilot’ them.
Yeah, pilots really are becoming obsolete though dammit. My dad was an AF pilot his whole adult life as are my nephew AND my nieces husband (lol he flies a B52, a plane that is more than twice his age).
JamVet
May 14th, 2012
11:48 am
Fifty years after World War II, tens of thousands of our troops are still in Europe and East Asia, defending prosperous nation allies who are fully capable of defending themselves against non-existent enemies.
Yet, useless massive weapons systems remain on the drawing boards to further mortgage our fiscal future and drain money and talent from long overdue civilian projects.
Like I said back in the 1980’s – regarding those guys at Raytheon, General Dynamics, et al – get a real job…
zeke
May 14th, 2012
11:48 am
The comments of some of you show true ignorance of real world and Constitutional reality! Defense is one of only a handful of duties granted to the federal government. And defense is the only thing that will keep the USA and it’s survival sound. So we spend about 4% of GDP on defense and more than 6 or 8 others combined, SO WHAT! If we do not have the capability to defeat every other country and combinations of two or more countries, we will not survive as a country. We are reducing our manpower and equipment as Russia, China and others are headlong into trying to “catch up” to our great technology. Sure they spend less, so could we if it wasn’t for unions, environmental anarchist and others intent on pressing their agendas regardless of the consequences! We should maintain a combined force of 1.2 to 1.5 million ACTIVE military personnel at all times. We should spend all necessary funds to insure we will always have the dominant equipment and technology! And why are you so worried that the government spends about 4% of GDP on defense, a constitutional duty?? Why do you not complain about the 25% to 50% that is spent on welfare and redistribution of wealth, NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY OF GOVERNMENT???
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:48 am
Fly-On-The-Wall and Paul:
As usual …….. you choose to side with senior military “experts” who agree with your postion. There are just as many senior military “experts” who do not ………….. usually those with combat experience as well.
“War is Sweet for the Inexperienced”.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:49 am
zeke:
Thank you.
JKL2
May 14th, 2012
11:49 am
JB- Jerry Brown ( D) of California answer to the State 16 BILLION dollar short fall, announced that he needs to RAISE TAXES
Didn’t see that one coming. It’s only a matter of time until obama puts him on the payroll…
ByteMe - Political thug
May 14th, 2012
11:49 am
Vertical envelopment (by helicopter or Osprey) has long been an operational method for the Marines.
I want to get them all IronMan suits then. How cool would that be?
Doggone/GA
May 14th, 2012
11:50 am
“So we spend about 4% of GDP on defense and more than 6 or 8 others combined, SO WHAT! If ”
If we don’t spend 4% now, and we are safe…why would we need to spend MORE?
ByteMe - Political thug
May 14th, 2012
11:51 am
Thank you zeke, I think I was able to fill out my Wingnut bingo card with your rant.
Lord Help Us
May 14th, 2012
11:51 am
Military spending allowed us to arm and train OBL and the Taliban in the 80’s, it allowed us to arm and train Saddam Hussein, it allowed us to create a huge arsenal of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons (which we now spend billions to store, dismantle and incinerate…), allowed us to invade and occupy Iraq and Afghanistan for ten years…etc., etc., etc…
Perhaps less military spending would make us SAFER…
Erwin's cat
May 14th, 2012
11:54 am
Jay it’s silly because it’s like comparing the expenditures of a family of 4 to that of a school…The chart offers no context…Zero
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:54 am
Scout: You are so full of crap. The only “vertical envelopment” done by the Marines is done by Recon, IE small units, just like I SAID.
The Marine Parachute Battalion NEVER made a jump in WWII and were disbanded. At Guadal Canal they suffered over 40% casualties in an AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.
There is only ONE place to get your wings and that is at Fort Benning. I went through jump school with about 10-12 Marines from recon. Cool dudes. Surprisingly enough that all 10-12 were not only Marines and could read and write, but also they knew both their mother AND their dad and their parents were married.
Like I said, unusual Marines………..
Hootinanny Yum Yum
May 14th, 2012
11:55 am
Here’s a ranking of the top 15 countries based on percentage of GDP spent on defense spending in 2011. It’s unrealistic to compare raw numbers. The money spent to clothe, feed, train and maintain the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines alone must be significantly different.
We’ve maintained an all volunteer force since Vietnam. We take much, much better care of our service members, their families and retired military members than other countries. My Air Force retirement payment sent from Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) which provides payment services to the United States Department of Defense.
To look simply at raw numbers is useless. Unless your intent is to simply mislead and incite the simple minded.
Rank Country Spending ($ Bn.) % of GDP
1 United States $711.0 4.7
2 China $143.0 2.0
3 Russia $ 71.9 3.9
4 United Kingdom $ 62.7 2.6
5 France $ 62.5 2.3
6 Japan $ 54.5 1.0
7 Saudi Arabia $ 48.2 10.4
8 India $ 46.8 2.5
9 Germany $ 46.7 1.3
10 Italy $ 37.0 1.8
11 Brazil $ 33.5 1.6
12 South Korea $ 27.6 2.8
13 Australia $ 24.0 2.0
14 Canada $ 22.8 1.5
15 Turkey $ 17.5 2.4
ByteMe - Political thug
May 14th, 2012
11:56 am
Jay it’s silly because it’s like comparing the expenditures of a family of 4 to that of a school…The chart offers no context…Zero
Only if the family of four and the school were performing the EXACT SAME FUNCTION for that money. Since they’re not… your comparison is stilly.
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
11:56 am
Oh and Scout, come on. To take the position that there is no place that military spending can be cut is just ridiculous. ALL Gov’t programs are fraught with waste and can be cut.
ByteMe - Political thug
May 14th, 2012
11:57 am
Here’s a ranking of the top 15 countries based on percentage of GDP spent on defense spending in 2011
How about per-capita instead, since we’re supposed to be protecting people and not business, right? Right? No??!?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:57 am
Hootinanny Yum Yum ;
Thank you ……………. Jay is good a “raw numbers” that are meaningless.
He does it on the “gun issue” all the time.
Perry the Platypus
May 14th, 2012
11:58 am
Uh, when you are the main military defense for most of the free world, you require a big budget…
You know why Germany doesn’t have a big budget on defense? They are not allowed to. And if the get into a jam, guess who’s number they have on speed dial, US.
With the exception if China and Russia, those other countries are all dependent on us for their military support. I don’t like it, you don’t like it, but that’s the reality and there is next to nothing we can do about it.
Further, if you think you have the actual real number China spent on it’s military, you have to be 60 times 6 times stupid, they won’t tell you, they tell you what you want to hear.
You lot are so friggin’ niave it’s f***ing frightening really.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:58 am
Fred:
I “said” via helicopter or Osprey knucklehead !
You need to improve your reading comprehension.
Hootinanny Yum Yum
May 14th, 2012
11:59 am
Here’s the link to GDP military expenditures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures
Not Part of Romney's Flock
May 14th, 2012
11:59 am
Fred
Thank you for your service
Hope you didn’t hang out on Victory Drive for any extensive period of time
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:59 am
O.K.
I’m going out on patrol now so you civilians can sleep well and in peace tonight.
Be nice to each other.
“Air Raid Pearl Harbor …. This Is No Drill”
barking frog
May 14th, 2012
11:59 am
Paul, Fred
USAF is fighting for existence. long and
short range missiles and
drones can be used by the army and navy. they are trying to and may have taken back
the space mission from
NASA.
Perry the Platypus
May 14th, 2012
12:00 pm
Japan? Also, not allow to spend a lot on their military…It was part of the whole “Unconditional Surrender” thingy… You know, that little skirmish in the ’40’s?
Mighty Righty
May 14th, 2012
12:02 pm
I remember when the liberal Democrat party didn’t want to spend money to develop a missile defense system. They said we couldn’t shoot a bullet with a bullet. They made fun of President Regan and the Republicans and called the idea “star Wars.” They called it a waste of money similar to their present attitude toward defending this country. They lined up their late night comedians to disparge the idea. While making fun of the idea of shooting a bullet with a bullet, they simutaneously claimed it would escalate the cold war. Thank God for the Republicans and Ronald Reagan who did the right thing in spite of pyscho babble from the left. Well, that system works. That system that the Democrats so opposed kept us out of world war 3. That system protected Israel from missile attack from Iraq. That system protects Europe today. That system protects the United States today from missile attack by North Korea, China, Iran, and a hand full of former Russian states. When money is spent on defense it is like spending money on your personal health. It is like buying life insurance or health insurance. You hope you don’t need it, but if you do there is no substitute. It is always good investment to bet on your own safety. The schizophrenic libs waould rather use the money to build mass treansit that starts nowhere, ends nowhere and caries no one. Or they would give the money to their friends and donors at places like Solyndra, or Acorn or any other not wise investment that will have no return.
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
12:03 pm
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 14th, 2012
11:58 am
Fred:
I “said” via helicopter or Osprey knucklehead !
You need to improve your reading comprehension.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You know what Scout? I’m using the wrong term lol. They have “expanded” vertical envelopment to include “air mobile” and “air assault.” I was speaking only in terms of parachuting.
LOL we are arguing the same thing. My bad. And Yes you are proving my point, we don’t need parachute divisions since virtually the whole military fighting force (excepting Armor units) is Air Mobile.
251 more days
May 14th, 2012
12:03 pm
Why not just cut all spending/budgets, etc, by 10%.
dcb
May 14th, 2012
12:04 pm
On the other hand, increasing the budget to handle 100,000 more jobs has its advantages – especially for the younger generation. This isn’t all a matter of hawk vs dove mentality. I for one am obliging to Bush for assuring those of us on U.S. soil that there would be no more 9-11’s. And if doing that cost the amount that we now are handing out to illegal immigrants and increase the workforce by 100,000, I’m all for it.
251 more days
May 14th, 2012
12:05 pm
If we need more military to police the world, I suggest we make those countries we are policing pay their part
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
12:06 pm
Not Part of Romney’s Flock: Hope you didn’t hang out on Victory Drive for any extensive period of time
Actually no, I didn’t lol. Never went there once. Had a sister here in Atlanta so when we got weekends off, we cruised up here and hit Buckhead (back then Buckhead was still a party spot lol).
Oh wait, I think Ranger Joes is on Victory Drive so I went there once just to check it out. But that’s all.
JamVet
May 14th, 2012
12:06 pm
A wasteful, bloated, corruption-riddled defense is a weak defense.
It takes away taxpayer money that can go to the necessities of the American people.
Hootinanny Yum Yum
May 14th, 2012
12:07 pm
I’d honestly like to see Romney select Condi Rice as his running mate.
She just helped complete a study that identified failures in the US educational system as a strategic threat to our national defense.
The ability of so many Americans to be led and influenced by progressives in Hollywood, the mainstream media and institutions of higher learning are indicators of how most Americans have lost the ability to think critically about issues today.
Hootinanny Yum Yum
May 14th, 2012
12:08 pm
Make that “national security”, not national defense.
weetamoe
May 14th, 2012
12:08 pm
The GOP is not *welching * on the debt limit deal. They have just chosen the one of two options in the deal that their dem counterparts oppose.. The US has a commitment to those 5 allies mentioned unless Obama *welches* on the deal as he has done in other deals (campaign financing deal with McCain for one.) I hope most allies are not snickering at Obama behind his back as the scandinavians and low country folks are. That punch above their weight thing is still a source of great amusement.
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
12:08 pm
251: Two great suggestions (10% and naking nations pay). You and Oblama have both put out some good ideas. Shame the politicians you support won;t jump on board with you.
Paul
May 14th, 2012
12:09 pm
barking frog
Another true point about government institutions – when the need that created them is overcome by events, find a new need.
Fred
Was reading a military blog. Active duty pilots are all in a huff because the drone guys get flight pay AND the bonus pay that the Air Force put in in the early 90s to keep pilots from getting out and going to the airlines.
In line with barking frog’s observation, after it became painfully evident there was no real civilian market for the pilots to go to, the Air Force called it a ‘force management program’ and continued the $100,000 multiyear contracts.
Not Part of Romney's Flock
May 14th, 2012
12:10 pm
Fred
Just kidding
Grew up in a military household and spent time in the area. That’s why I know about Victory Drive
Fred ™
May 14th, 2012
12:10 pm
The ability of so many Americans to be led and influenced by
progressives in Hollywood, the mainstream media and institutions of higher learningright wing nut case talk radio and FOX are indicators of how most Americans have lost the ability to think critically about issues today.There I fixed that for you.