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U.S. debts forcing big military cuts, but where?

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I just got an email from a friend of mine in Afghanistan. He's a Major in the Army. He told me there are 5 or 6 Colonels jockeying around trying to do the job of 1 enlisted person where he's at.

He seems to think that a lot of senior officers are doing tours in Afghanistan just to bank the combat pay.

I have another friend who is a Lt. Cdr. in the Navy. He told me his tour in Iraq was one long exercise in keeping himself and his unit out of graft schemes that were all around him.

Thinning the heard up top in those places is a good place to start with military spending. That's not E-4s and E-5s doing these things. It's Colonels and Generals.

Taka

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Serrano, are you sure? I guess I was wrong then. However, that's just the official amount. The actual amount with the military's secret projects and unwanted weapons contracts would push it significantly higher. Also, the US still counts for half the world's military spending.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Drones don't pull expensive pensions.

But their mechanics and pilots do. And they are not free in the first place. Plus they don't win wars or battles, and they certainly don't win the PR war. In the end, they may be far more expensive than anyone could ever have imagined.

America needs to cut funding for development of high tech murder. America is way ahead. Its unnecessary. Its insane. Its evil. And its greed. But certain people will make-believe that China is breathing down our necks!

I have enjoyed Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Boston. But we also need an Occupy the Pentagon, or perhaps even a Burn the Pentagon to the Ground. Not only are we getting robbed blind, we are becoming a pariah and an ever more tempting target.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"over half of the Federal budget goes toward the military"

Jeffrey, where do you get that informamtion? The Defense Department's share of the 2010 Federal Budget was 20%.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When it comes to debt, nobody beats the US. Social programs over the coming decades may cost around $200 trillion, and over half of the Federal budget goes towards the military. Many Government programs are redundant or just useless/stupid. Unless drastic cuts are made America has nowhere to go but down.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Democrats say the government needs to produce more revenue through tax increases.

Republicans want cuts to come from domestic programs."

And there, ladies and gentlemen, is the difference between Democrats and Republicans in a nutshell.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

According to http://www.usdebtclock.org/ . The US Total debt is currently standing at approx. $54 577 280 700 000. Thats more debt than the entire eurozone debt put together. I don't think it will be as simply as cutting back on drones or removing US bases in europe! Don't know what the US will do but they better think of a proper solution quickly or this crisis will be around for a very long time. And with growing protests occuring around the world, to me it is a big concern!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Drones don't pull expensive pensions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I would like to see some of the bases in Europe closed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

" Lockheed Martin" how powerful two words can be.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think the difference is that in Japan, retired polticians go to private industry, in the US they become corporate lobbyists.

Washington may be the problem, but it isn't confined to one party. Bush, for his faults, did serve in the National Guard. His father was a navy pilot in WW2. John Kerry is a decorated Vietnam war vet, as is John McCain.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The US government will never come clean on how much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is really being wasted RIGHT NOW! As we speak, until we start kicking the parasites in Washington DC out of office! Too many old boy connections, called AMAKUDARI out here in Japan, bottom line, CORRUPTION $$$$$$ is the name of the game. Poor young men and women get brainwashed into thinking that by going to fight against the Taliban etc..will make them more American?? Yeah right! Those rich fat cats back in Washington DC only care about one thing and that is more and more $$$$!!! Draft?? Yeah right! The richest, most corrupt parasites, Bush etc..would never want their own kids or grand kids to be in Iraq, Afghanistan etc..right??

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I think Japan pays a majority of the base operating budget, but not the cost of equipment or salaries for the actual military personnel. Could be wrong though...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Reminds me of Russia some decades ago. ;)

It's where we are heading in the U.S. Increasing numbers of people with little or no faith in the system, and justified for that perception.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The true reason for Japan bases, it costs them next to nothing to run them.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's folly to use defense spending as make-work projects. Instead, it should be left to independent committees to decide how best to spend the money, and to scrutinize the budget. Ideally, members of congress should be forbidden to vote on projects that would involve their state or district. Hopefully, it would bring some measure of sanity to the procurement process.

You know, I wouldn't blame the US if they just decided, "fvck it", and pulled out of their military commitments around the world. They've been shouldering the burden for too long, and taking a lot of stick for it. Let's see Japan try to defend itself... good luck.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Reminds me of Russia some decades ago. ;)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I have been laughing for 10 years over the so-called'war against terrorism' and I expecte to laughs louder in coming years! Those wars were terribly stupid and my jaws has fallen! Two wrong wars over wrong enemies and wrong locations! I dont admire OBL but indeed he helped my country alot alot in the past decade!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Drones should hit the drones behind the desks.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Drones kick ass.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

they could try cutting back on drones - both the automated ones that fly and those that sit at desks shuffling paper....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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