Should military spending be cut? Should the Pentagon budget be reviewed and subject to cutbacks?
Military spending should be cut in specific areas, as it's percentage of the total budget it excessive.
Over 40% of the government's total yearly budget goes to military spending. Compare this to the rates of spending in other first world countries. For instance, the UK is 8% and France is 5%. Our total military budget exceeds the combined total of our 10 closest competitors in military spending. While defense is certainly important, the spending has become excessive and needs to be carefully reigned back.
Posted by: jaanekyonDefense Spending
We need to pull our troops out of countries that no longer need our services. Congress is the ones forcing us to spend the extra dollars in support of their friends who want and need a large Military budget. Why are we spending money on Russia defense missiles? Enough is enough.
Posted by: SaferforYourLifeCongress is neglecting our youth, our future.
We are spending too much on defense. We already have the best and most advanced military technology, but we almost completely neglect education. I know that education and public funding for schools are managed by the state government, but there is so much that the federal government could do for public schools.
Posted by: AnonymousFood, Health and Education First!
We need have a special treaty with all nations to stop manufacturing guns and bombs for at least a trial period, maybe say a year or two. And we can put the defense money to better use like food for the poor, better health care and education, which will lead to healthy and happier lives. We need to have an open debate and negotiation with all countries to slow down on weapons and bombs, there are already too many bombs. We should think about coming generations and humanity which will only last if we act now. Let's not create the situation where we have to go to war in the first place.
Posted by: AnonymousCongress is neglecting our youth, our future.
We are spending too much on defense. We already have the best and most advanced military technology, but we almost completely neglect education. I know that education and public funding for schools are managed by the state government, but there is so much that the federal government could do for public schools.
Posted by: AnonymousMilitary spending needs to be cut, especially when there are so many civilians suffering, domestically.
We have an absolutely outrageous budget for the military. It dwarfs the spending of other countries', and there's basically no reason for it. We could easily be subsidizing things, like health care, education, and mass transit initiatives with all the money we could shave off of our defense budget. If we worked more on our international diplomacy, I think we wouldn't need so many troops.
Posted by: ExoticCurtEconomic security
We need to focus on our economy and focus our security efforts in social economic justice. Our "military industrial complex" has given rise to military dominance and arrogance but more importantly it has depleted our ethical and financial legitimacy, created fear, and has put too much of an economic dependency on our country.
It isn't terrorism or nationalism that threatens our country... It is our deficit. If we can not pay for defense there will be no defense.Posted by: AnonymousYes, because the United States spends disproportionately more on the military than all other countries.
First, The U.S. spends more than 6 times the amount that China does, the next highest military spending country, to the tune of 687 billion dollars. Second, this increase of spending does not necessarily make the citizens any safer. Third, the spending does not increase our ability to wage successful wars without great cost. Fourth, the money would be better spent on social programs within the country.
Posted by: GrotesqueHeriberto89Yes, if we are serious about dealing with the deficit.
If we are going to have serious budget cutting at the federal level, then there should not be any 'sacred cows.' We can more than adequately defend this country and reduce defense spending by setting priorities.
Two ways we could start to do this could be done would be (1) move the bulk of the heavy force (the Air Force and Army) in the National Guard and Reserve (2) close overseas bases instead of in the US.
As JFK said, we should figure out what threatens us, develop strategies to counter those threats, build structures to implement the strategies, and finally cost it. If we did that, we could do a lot more for a lot less.Posted by: AnonymousYes, military spending should be cut back, by pulling our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The military should be pulled from Iraq and Afghanistan. It's time to stop spending money, helping other countries and, instead, help our own out with finances and get the troops home. The best way to pull the economy out of the trouble that it is in is to bring the troops home.
Posted by: HealthyMose59When there are no wars, the Pentagon budget should not increase, or even remain the same.
The Pentagon has a self-interest in staying in business. The military provides a lot of jobs and contractor income. If the Pentagon budget is cut back, people lose their jobs and the contracts end. But, for the military, staying in business means war. Without a war, the military is a waste of the taxpayers' money.
Posted by: SixCristobalinfrastructure expenditures vs. the military industrial complex spending.
Even one of our greatest generals and President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower, warned of the dangerous military industrial complex. Even though military expenditures are 5% of the GNP, U.S. Military spending is 41% of the entire world spending on defense. All efforts should be concentrated to eliminate the huge wasted monies spent by such a large budget. Any efforts to eliminate waste in the military budget are obviously superficial. All future wars need to be for our national survival and not to feed the military industrial complex and the egos of our leaders.
Posted by: AnonymousThe government is spending more money on military than the health and education of its people in the U.S.
We have almost 50% of the military in the world. Why in the world should one country alone have such a huge and expensive military when we are not having another World War? We are even spending more money on military than we are in improving the lives of the U.S. citizens. We have 13 trillions of dollars that we owe and spending so much on our military wont help that problem.
Posted by: AnonymousNo Real Benefit
The size of our military is much less based on our need for an adequate defense as it is to impose our will on the rest of the world. The budget could be cut dramatically without appreciably reducing our capacity to defend ourselves. What we would lose is our ability to use our military in countries where they are not wanted. It seems far wiser to reform the UN so that it has teeth, greater resources, and a clear policy and allow the UN to take over the role of peacekeeping. Also, it was our economy and production capacity that was the United State's true legacy in the previous world wars. As the national debt grows and production capacity wanes we will not have the same ability in future wars. It seems far more prudent to make cuts now, and preserve this wealth for when it is actually needed.
Posted by: Anonymous
Who will protect you?
I am currently deployed, I was taking college courses while I had free time here, they took our tuition assistance, no more school for me. The budget is effecting our food sources, the food is now rationed. Our equipment is diminished and becoming more outdated by the second compared to foreign military units. The people who are voting yes are saying lets spend our money on the poor and education.... they are making us soldier poor, hungry and taking our education. Please understand the effects of less military funding. I have a daughter who I work hard to support. Less military funding means us not being able to afford food. Now there is rumor of cutting tricare, how will I afford to take my daughter to the hospital?...Just think before you say cut from the military, we are only 2% of the American population.
Posted by: AnonymousMilitary means safety
Why would we want to cut the one thing that protects us. The U.S. has already meddled in so many other countries that friendships are definitely dwindling. No one expected to have a WW2 either but we did, and there is a possiblity that we will have a WW3. And think of all the people who have died for our country. How is it fair to take Americans out now when so many have already sacrificed their lives for us.
Posted by: AnonymousOur military is what keeps us free.
I wish it was that simple as to just cut spending, but what made this country so strong was our military. We have been on the brink of economic collapse many times and most recently the worst since the Great Depression, but one of the reasons no other country tries to over take us is because of our military. To cut that would be to open up the back door and turn our heads and let the enemies walk right in.
Posted by: AnonymousCutting the military won't get us out of debt.
We have spent since 2001 $1.4 trillion dollars due to the War on Terror. Our current debt is $17 trillion, so in other words only 8% of our debt was caused by the war. Cutting the military won't do anything to slow it down. The real problem is our Social Security. If we really want to get out of this tremendous debt, our government officials need to find ways to fix our Social Security, not take away from what protects our country. It's the same as turning off your A/C and radio in your car to save on gas, but then refuse to actually stop at the gas station and fill up; eventually you will run out.
Posted by: Anonymousno we're living in a time where we need to be combat ready
In this time and age we need as many resources for our military as possible, with the sequestration we're looking at around 100 billion in cuts this year alone. All branches except the air force are being cut and its not right. We are a world super power and we need to stay at our current level. We want to protect all these allied counties and what not but we're overselling and under supplying.
Posted by: AnonymousThe government has three major roles.
These are protection of its people, helping its people by promoting commerce and trade, and building things such as roads, bridges, etc. If we quit spending money on the military, it will go to the useless crap that much of it goes to now. We need to cut a little bit from the military, but the debt will be lowered once we cease spending money on the useless bills that Pres. Obama and company are trying to force trough.
Posted by: jjowMilitary budget should not be cut.
Military needs to be strong, We want to be number 1 in power. We don't want to be the last in world. China has the biggest army. We should at least beat China. Yes we need to pull our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. We had enough. We did what we can.
Posted by: AnonymousFreedom isn't free
We need to cut pork, fraud, waste and illegal immigration. The White House operational budget last year alone was $1.5 bil. With countries like China, Iran and North Korea threatening our security, and an unstable Middle East, we need to increase our defense budget. We don't need an ill-equipped, half depleted military defending our national interests. Proper troop levels, sound equipment and training are not only just, but necessary to maintaining a free state. You cannot allow our national defense to operate on a shoe string budget.
Posted by: AnonymousEffects the others as well
It should not be cut. We are the world power and help every country that needs us. How can we continue to do that with less troops and equipment. I am a Marine wife and I feel the effects on our paychecks to how my husband feels when he comes home. No military tuition assistance doesn't give our service members a life outside when the get out of the armed forces. Taking away benefits for retired and disability vets is bull crap. They risked there life and for what now to be crapped on and become homeless. Military life is not an easy one and if they do the pay cut it will be almost impossible to even survive.
Posted by: Anonymous