At times it hard to believe the size of the US defense budget, let alone programs and funding that are kept in secrecy. Mr. Walt is right. America is really really really secure.
" [...] Americans are constantly fretting about supposedly grave threats in far-flung corners of the world, and marching off to spend billions (or even trillions) fighting long and inconclusive wars in strategic backwaters like Afghanistan. To be perfectly blunt, it makes one wonder if the national security establishment in this country is even capable of a careful, sober, even-tempered analysis anymore."
This also means that in times of crisis like these, defense spending must be reduced. Currently at 1.5 trillion dollars, about 19% of total US budget. The US outspend the world when it comes to defense.
" [...] Americans are constantly fretting about supposedly grave threats in far-flung corners of the world, and marching off to spend billions (or even trillions) fighting long and inconclusive wars in strategic backwaters like Afghanistan. To be perfectly blunt, it makes one wonder if the national security establishment in this country is even capable of a careful, sober, even-tempered analysis anymore."
This also means that in times of crisis like these, defense spending must be reduced. Currently at 1.5 trillion dollars, about 19% of total US budget. The US outspend the world when it comes to defense.
In 2009, Congressman Barney Frank, D-Mass., called for a reduction in the defense budget: "The math is compelling: if we do not make reductions approximating 25 percent of the military budget starting fairly soon, it will be impossible to continue to fund an adequate level of domestic activity even with a repeal of Bush's tax cuts for the very wealthy."
The belief in uncertainty in the post cold war area is bogus and baseless and the reliance on private contractors to fight the war gives a picture of a system built to benefit a few! However, America should not stop creating and inventing while at the same time ensuring that the quest for financial gain does not undermine national security. You've probably heard about the outsourcing to china of critical US national defense equipment parts. Outsourcing is going to be the biggest national defense threat to the US.
The belief in uncertainty in the post cold war area is bogus and baseless and the reliance on private contractors to fight the war gives a picture of a system built to benefit a few! However, America should not stop creating and inventing while at the same time ensuring that the quest for financial gain does not undermine national security. You've probably heard about the outsourcing to china of critical US national defense equipment parts. Outsourcing is going to be the biggest national defense threat to the US.
