The High Price of US Militarism

[mlingley]

Maintaining the United State's huge military machine is not cheap. Every year the U.S. spends hundreds of billions of dollars on the military ($346,500,000,000). Since 1948 the U.S. has spent more than $15 trillion to build up its military might. Just how much is $15,000,000,000,000 worth? It adds up to more than the cumulative monetary value of all human-made wealth in the U.S! In other words, the government has spent more on the military over the last four decades than the value of all the factories, machinery, roads, bridges, water and sewage systems, airports, railroads, power plants, office buildings, shopping centers, schools, hospitals, hotels, houses, etc., in this country put together!!

During the Cold War the U.S. had a serious military competitor in the U.S.S.R. Today the U.S. maintains a huge war machine despite the lack on of any serious competition. The U.S. militar budget is now larger than the next 15 biggest spenders put together. It makes up a full 36% of total global military spending. I guess being the world cop and all, we do have certain responsibilities.

If this shocks you, you should read "Addicted to War" by Joel Andreas.

[Jackney Sneeb]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (mlingley,)
:shocked:
Maintaining the United State&#39;s huge military machine is not cheap. Every year the U.S. spends hundreds of billions of dollars on the military (&#036;346,500,000,000). Since 1948 the U.S. has spent more than &#036;15 trillion to build up its military might. Just how much is &#036;15,000,000,000,000 worth? It adds up to more than the cumulative monetary value of all human-made wealth in the U.S&#33; In other words, the government has spent more on the military over the last four decades than the value of all the factories, machinery, roads, bridges, water and sewage systems, airports, railroads, power plants, office buildings, shopping centers, schools, hospitals, hotels, houses, etc., in this country put together&#33;&#33;

If this shocks you, you should read "Addicted to War" by Joel Andreas.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
If it doesn&#39;t, you should read "There&#39;s No Government Like No Government" by Jackney Sneeb.

--Jackney Sneeb

[STRATIOTES]

"Whenever governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins."
-Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789.

Standing armies have always been the grand engine of oppression and why the founders sought to destroy the seed of tyranny, giant standing armies.

"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass." --Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, 1941

Giant standing armies are not for defense but to control the world.

[Evil Baby]

Here is a picture of what the Iraq war is costing. Go there and click on the links to see how much of other things the US could buy

http://costofwar.com/

[Jackney Sneeb]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Evil Baby,)
Here is a picture of what the Iraq war is costing. Go there and click on the links to see how much of other things the US could buy

http://costofwar.com/<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
Why does it matter what the US decides to spend its loot on? Most of it was stolen to begin with. Suppose the freelance thieves - the ones state-worshippers believe can&#39;t steal, because of their belief in "government" - collectively robbed everyone of &#036;100,000,000,000; what would be the point of saying, "If only they didn&#39;t waste the money on drugs, cigarettes, and whores. Look how much they might have spent on shoes for their kids, taking them to Disneyland, and buying them nice birthday gifts&#33;" How relevant is that to the real problem of thievery?

--Jackney Sneeb

[IronYuppie]

The price is enormous; so are the stakes and the potential rewards. There are many important (and some not so) programs that our tax dollars fund; the most important to me is national defense. Not just for what it does to protect my country, but what it does to protect free societies around the globe. What would Europe be like now if we had not spent so many trillions to defeat the USSR? Under what rule would Canada exist if not for the shield of military might from their neighbors. Of course many of them revile us for protecting them.

Unfortunately these things are unappreciated by many around the World. What if the anti-US, anti-military people got their wish and the US armed forces vanished? What if the air force really had to have a bakesale to buy their next B-1? These people don’t realize that could bring in the second great dark age. There are currently 17 military conflicts going on around the World (unfortunately most of those involving muslim extremists). Try to imagine that x10; try to imagine China and N. Korea given free reign to act in the World how they wish. You anti-military people are so short sighted and can’t see the absolute vital need for a strong military force dedicated to preserving safety and freedom for as many as possible. If you had your way free society would be a thing of the past.

[mlingley]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (IronYuppie,)
The price is enormous; so are the stakes and the potential rewards. There are many important (and some not so) programs that our tax dollars fund; the most important to me is national defense. Not just for what it does to protect my country, but what it does to protect free societies around the globe. What would Europe be like now if we had not spent so many trillions to defeat the USSR? Under what rule would Canada exist if not for the shield of military might from their neighbors. Of course many of them revile us for protecting them.

Unfortunately these things are unappreciated by many around the World. What if the anti-US, anti-military people got their wish and the US armed forces vanished? What if the air force really had to have a bakesale to buy their next B-1? These people don’t realize that could bring in the second great dark age. There are currently 17 military conflicts going on around the World (unfortunately most of those involving muslim extremists). Try to imagine that x10; try to imagine China and N. Korea given free reign to act in the World how they wish. You anti-military people are so short sighted and can’t see the absolute vital need for a strong military force dedicated to preserving safety and freedom for as many as possible. If you had your way free society would be a thing of the past.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

If the U.S. military was for defensive purpose only I&#39;d have no problem. I&#39;m not against the military, I&#39;m against the huge size of our military spending. If we spent a fraction of what we spend on military on things like alternative sources of energy.. like windmills, or solar power.. we&#39;d have clean, free energy forever. How are our national intrests at risk in the mid-east.. when they are half a world away. There not.. we&#39;re not protecting our citizens by being camped out all over the world, we&#39;re protecting corporations who profit from these regions. If anything the U.S. is breading hatred of the United States by putting military bases in Muslim countries. Just think about it, how would you feel if Saudi Arabia or Afganhistan had a military base outside of Washington D.C.?

[IronYuppie]

mlingley:

I think if they had a base near the Continental US it wouldn&#39;t last more than a day, we&#39;d of course quickly blow the **** out of it :) . The thing is, they are hell-bent on destroying the Infidels and turning the World into an Islamic Utopia. We are hell-bent on protecting ourselves and making sure their vision of the future never comes to fruition. Which would you prefer, that we sit back and relax in the cool breeze of our windmills and let Islamo-fascism spread arounbd the globe like a cancer? Or actually spend the needed money on the military so we can prevent that?

[mlingley]

These "Islamo-Fascist" aren&#39;t trying to spread around the globe.. they live in the mideast. This idea of preemption is going to just lead to more hatred and more "terrorism".
If they were spreading around the globe.. overthrowing governments and oppressing other people in other countries then we&#39;d have a problem.. until then, we need to just let them be.

[IronYuppie]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (mlingley,)
These "Islamo-Fascist" aren&#39;t trying to spread around the globe.. they live in the mideast. This idea of preemption is going to just lead to more hatred and more "terrorism".
If they were spreading around the globe.. overthrowing governments and oppressing other people in other countries then we&#39;d have a problem.. until then, we need to just let them be.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

They’re not just confined to the Middle East anymore. Islamic wars are the primary source of conflict in the world and have been so since the 80’s. Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Chechnya, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kashmir, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Middle East, Sudan and Nigeria are just some of the places where violence exists between muslims and non-muslims. The extremists just can’t seem to get along with their neighbors anywhere and resort to the brutalist of violence to advance their cause. We cant “just let them be” any more, these groups will use any weapon they can against people that oppose them. If we do nothing we open ourselves to annihilation.

[Impenitent]

how much do your life and your freedom cost?

hint: they aren&#39;t free...

[Evil Baby]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Jackney Sneeb,)
</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Evil Baby,)
Here is a picture of what the Iraq war is costing. Go there and click on the links to see how much of other things the US could buy

http://costofwar.com/<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
Why does it matter what the US decides to spend its loot on? Most of it was stolen to begin with. Suppose the freelance thieves - the ones state-worshippers believe can&#39;t steal, because of their belief in "government" - collectively robbed everyone of &#036;100,000,000,000; what would be the point of saying, "If only they didn&#39;t waste the money on drugs, cigarettes, and whores. Look how much they might have spent on shoes for their kids, taking them to Disneyland, and buying them nice birthday gifts&#33;" How relevant is that to the real problem of thievery?

--Jackney Sneeb<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>


I really don&#39;t care what the US spends its money on, I was just putting the link up for the hell of it. Obviously the people in the US have a different view of what their money should be spent on compared to other nations or they vote for an alternative.