re: Its days like this where I feel do we need this much military?

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Only way I'd agree with cutting defense spending if that if all other nations we have historically protected agree to pay back the money we've spent on their protection as well as reduce the level of support we give to NATO and UN for peacekeeping...in other words drop our "Policemen of the World" responsibility. Only if those happen can we drop our defense/military budget.

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How about we do away with everything except defense spending, roads and bridges and clean food, water and medicine?

(Social security is paid into so I am not for killing it).

Hopefully the military gets massively audited and all of the bullshite cut out.

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Of course it isn’t ethical or moral, but damn would it be fun.

Alternate universe stuff I suppose

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it'd be an interesting thread to see how people would project the rise/fall of empires if colonialism were reborn

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it'd be an interesting thread to see how people would project the rise/fall of empires if colonialism were reborn

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Imagine a 21st century American Empire with an 17th century British mindset.

Of course, you’d have to get rid of all these pantywaists and SJWs...perhaps we give them Greenland as a colony, kind of like Australia, and allow them to pass whatever the hell laws they want there. They can have their commie utopia with no guns and whatever made up genders they want.

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why does government always get bigger?

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$ = votes

Government gives more money, people vote for bigger government.

Rinse and repeat at all levels.

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Meh. One of the reasons we have a huge military is to discourage anyone from even thinking about messing with us. It seems unnecessary but when we are so much better than everyone else that they don’t want to start shite, it pays off in the long run with less major warfare overall, which means huge benefits business and economics as well. The US being the sole superpower is an enormously stabilizing force in today’s world.

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But is it still necessary? We are in a global economy like it or not. Most advanced nations aren't concerned about war, they are concerned with a strong economy. War torn countries like Syria and other middle eastern countries are that way because they are too worried about their religious belief being end all be all. They are too busy fighting each other to even be a threat to a foreign power. War, to advanced money motivated countries, is too messy, risky and cumbersome. They'd rather just find more ways to make their economy grow. We, on the other hand, lease our military out for hire to corporations that promise us something in the end.

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why does government always get bigger?

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Part of it is the increasing population. Lafayette has gone from 165k to 240k in the last 25 years. That means more infrastructure, police, fire, etc.

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Part of it is the increasing population. Lafayette has gone from 165k to 240k in the last 25 years. That means more infrastructure, police, fire, etc.

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True, and that part makes sense.

However, few governments ever take a scalpel to their workforce. They'll add for the sake of growth, but they rarely reassess outdated and unnecessary positions/departments.

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Half my taxes gone to baws fighting in syria and shite, is that really needed? Id rather have a TV.

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No they don't. DOD is about 15 or 16 % of the budget, overseas spending on war on terror is about 10% of that so you are bitccing about 1.5% of the budget not 50%

I am with the OP. Military Veteran and since punching out have spent a lot of time in the mideast and some time in china. These people do not give a Shite about that. Their worries are more basic.

The only people who make a big deal of military capabilities and war in general is the news media, being prompted by military contractors. (everyone needs a job I guess)

Suggest that you review the military budgets of the major first world countries and add up the next 4 or 5 after the USA and compare