Comments on: Tea Parties…..The Sequel

By: Da King

Da King — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:06:36 +0000

Rev,
Even if your $1 trillion on defense spending number is correct, that's 27% of the budget. How is that the reason for all the deficits ? Why isn't the other 73% the reason ?

But I actually agree with you and frank that having military bases in 130 countries makes us overly responsible for world security. It's not about controlling the world, it's about defending the free world, but I'd like to see others carry their own weight more. The defense of the EU is actually up to us. Carrying out UN operations is actually up to us. It is a form of international welfare, as frank said, but who's going to step into the breach ? There really isn't anyone else.

By: The Reverend

The Reverend — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:10:47 +0000

Good descriptive phrase, frank.

It's a huge, yet I think, strategic, blindspot. It's as if deficits and debt created by obscene levels of military spending….do not exist.

I'm all for defending the country….but as you say…..that's not what all those bases and all that money is about.

By: frank

frank — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:03:22 +0000

Rev,
Thanks for the link explaining the hidden costs of "defense". I just don't get how those who rightfully worry about our deficits and the insustainability of our present economic model can support the status quo of spending more than the rest of the world combined on "defense". Who is the enemy that justifies spending half the budget against? What is the threat that justifies paying for other countries' "defense", especially when those countries may be in better financial shape than we are? Is it really "defense" when we leave our own borders undefended while protecting others'? I'd call it international welfare.

By: The Reverend

The Reverend — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:25:28 +0000

I disagree with your "real, lasting" defense jobs. They are no different from shovel ready, you know, regular jobs.

And you didn't answer the question….why all the military bases?

The Constitution gives Congress the power, not only to protect the nation by declaring war and appropriating funds for those wars, but also to look after the "general welfare" of the population.

By: pdt1420

pdt1420 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:02:46 +0000

And again, for Obama's deficits, we could have spent multiple times over into our defense contracting which would have provided real, lasting jobs. Plus it would have been one of the things the Constitution says the government should do.

By: pdt1420

pdt1420 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:31 +0000

Man you know how to go off on a tangent. We don't control Japan. We don't control France. We don't control Germany. We don't control Kuwait. We didn't control Iraq from the first Iraq war.

And we don't steal their stuff either.

But keep on going, it sounds better to call us imperialists.

By: The Reverend

The Reverend — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:59:15 +0000

I said control…..not simply steal their stuff.

A big part of Iraq was the oil. The big reason why "Third Way" Tony Blair went along with Commander Guy was for the sake of BP. And guess who signed the first contract for the biggest Iraqi oil site? British Petroleum.

The neo-cons wanted the U.S. military bases in Iraq from which we could project our power throughout the region.

If the U.S is not controlling or seeking to control the world…..why all the military bases?

By: pdt1420

pdt1420 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:48:21 +0000

double post in case s.h.i.t.e doesn't go through

By: pdt1420

pdt1420 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:47:57 +0000

So for Obama's deficits, we could have re-spent all our military contracts, like, multiple times over?! That would have been a hell of alot more jobs created than even those "saved" by the stimulus.

I wish we would have controlled France, they would have gone along with the Iraq war.

I wish we would have controlled Germany, they're a European powerhouse.

I wish we would have controlled Japan, we could have made a ton of money over the last few decades.

I wish we would have controlled Iraq and Kuwait since the early 90's… we'd have all the oil we need. That was it, right? War for oil? Oil that we never got?

By: pdt1420

pdt1420 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:46:52 +0000

So for Obama's deficits, we could have re-spent all our military contracts, like, multiple times over?! That would have been a hell of alot more jobs created than even those "saved" by the stimulus.

I wish we would have controlled France, they would have gone along with the Iraq war.

I wish we would have controlled Germany, they're a European powerhouse.

I wish we would have controlled Japan, we could have made a shite-ton of money over the last few decades.

I wish we would have controlled Iraq and Kuwait since the early 90's… we'd have all the oil we need. That was it, right? War for oil? Oil that we never got?