Justify: Why do we have such a massive military?

[Redfish]

there is one thing we could do that would save billions almost instantly, close all of our overseas bases.

But before closing them ask the host country if they want us to stay to protect them, if they do then they will have to pay 100% of the cost of the base.

 

[Two Thumbs]

America, fuck yeah!

only Two countries are comparable

china and russia


brazil? really now

And yet we spend more than all of them combined. Talk about a "really now".

I wonder how many genocides we have prevented compared to the rest of the world.

That is part of what we do.

that

And slaughter tyrants.

Shame we are so reserved. imagine how much nicer it would be in NK if we wiped out the ill family and his handlers.
or syria
or Sudan
or anywhere else

but hey, it's just children, we can always make more children.

 

[Redfish]

America, fuck yeah!

only Two countries are comparable

china and russia


brazil? really now

And yet we spend more than all of them combined. Talk about a "really now".

our milittary spending is full of pork, mostly the result of career politicians---so we need term limits.

we also have way too many generals and admirals, cut that number in half and no one would miss them.

 

[Sallow]

Ok. Many have said we need to have the tough talks about budget. Alright. Lets begin.

Military. Why do we have/need the biggest military, by far, in the world? Questions:

1- Our neighbors are Mexico and Canada. We are surrounded by vast oceans. We have one of the most easily defensable plots of land in the world. In fact, we barely have a legit threat in the entire hemisphere.

2- Are we the World Police? I know people argue that we are. WHY? Why us? Why not slash all that spending and downsize. Let the world police itself.

So, either we are the World Police, and we are OK with our tax money being spent to police the rest of the world....or we need to seriously downsize. We dont have an immediate threat anywhere in the hemisphere. Even if we slashed our military with massive cuts, we'd still be unmatched by any other nation.

Entitlements can be the next talk. The next thread. THIS thread is on this topic. So.....from righties and lefties...what is the justification for this massive military? We need to JUSTIFY ever tax dollar spent. Its the fiscally responsible thing to do. Justify it.

To kill people and take their stuff.

Dayuuum...that was easy.

 

[Two Thumbs]

there is one thing we could do that would save billions almost instantly, close all of our overseas bases.

But before closing them ask the host country if they want us to stay to protect them, if they do then they will have to pay 100% of the cost of the base.

It kills me that we actually pay to stay. either lease, rent or some other money hole.

THEN

We help the local economy by just being there

 

[Sallow]

only Two countries are comparable

china and russia


brazil? really now

And yet we spend more than all of them combined. Talk about a "really now".

I wonder how many genocides we have prevented compared to the rest of the world.

That is part of what we do.

that

And slaughter tyrants.

Shame we are so reserved. imagine how much nicer it would be in NK if we wiped out the ill family and his handlers.
or syria
or Sudan
or anywhere else

but hey, it's just children, we can always make more children.

That worked so well in Afghanistan.

And Iraq.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Ok. Many have said we need to have the tough talks about budget. Alright. Lets begin.

Military. Why do we have/need the biggest military, by far, in the world? Questions:

1- Our neighbors are Mexico and Canada. We are surrounded by vast oceans. We have one of the most easily defensable plots of land in the world. In fact, we barely have a legit threat in the entire hemisphere.

2- Are we the World Police? I know people argue that we are. WHY? Why us? Why not slash all that spending and downsize. Let the world police itself.

So, either we are the World Police, and we are OK with our tax money being spent to police the rest of the world....or we need to seriously downsize. We dont have an immediate threat anywhere in the hemisphere. Even if we slashed our military with massive cuts, we'd still be unmatched by any other nation.

Entitlements can be the next talk. The next thread. THIS thread is on this topic. So.....from righties and lefties...what is the justification for this massive military? We need to JUSTIFY ever tax dollar spent. Its the fiscally responsible thing to do. Justify it.

To kill people and take their stuff.

Dayuuum...that was easy.

Your ignorance is vast

truly, truly vast on this subject

 

[Redfish]

And yet we spend more than all of them combined. Talk about a "really now".

I wonder how many genocides we have prevented compared to the rest of the world.

That is part of what we do.

that

And slaughter tyrants.

Shame we are so reserved. imagine how much nicer it would be in NK if we wiped out the ill family and his handlers.
or syria
or Sudan
or anywhere else

but hey, it's just children, we can always make more children.

That worked so well in Afghanistan.

And Iraq.

50,000 died in viet nam for nothing, iraq and afghan will have the same final result. if wars are not fought to win, they will always be lost.

 

[Two Thumbs]

And yet we spend more than all of them combined. Talk about a "really now".

I wonder how many genocides we have prevented compared to the rest of the world.

That is part of what we do.

that

And slaughter tyrants.

Shame we are so reserved. imagine how much nicer it would be in NK if we wiped out the ill family and his handlers.
or syria
or Sudan
or anywhere else

but hey, it's just children, we can always make more children.

That worked so well in Afghanistan.

And Iraq.

And America, France, England, Spain, Italy, Norway, Northern Africa, Lybia, South Korea.

Yeah, killing bad guys does help, sometimes it takes a while.

 

[Two Thumbs]

I wonder how many genocides we have prevented compared to the rest of the world.

That is part of what we do.

that

And slaughter tyrants.

Shame we are so reserved. imagine how much nicer it would be in NK if we wiped out the ill family and his handlers.
or syria
or Sudan
or anywhere else

but hey, it's just children, we can always make more children.

That worked so well in Afghanistan.

And Iraq.

50,000 died in viet nam for nothing, iraq and afghan will have the same final result. if wars are not fought to win, they will always be lost.

That's what happens when the press goes full prog. The hate for America is so deep that they would rather see us lose than help spread freedom.

 

[Seawytch]

So what I'm getting out of this thread is that the justification for our over bloated military is so we can be the world police...America the white horse riding in to save the day.

Screw our poor, our schools, our education. We have to beat up all the world's bad guys instead.

 

[thanatos144]

I think the constitution meant spend money on defense, not offense. We've been invading and making war on other countries doing us no harm since WW2, like the bully on the block.

Listen pussy

Have you ever served?

the reason we have bases around the world is so we can react more quickly when the balloon goes up....Now that I have taught you something go back to your bong and wishing hookers didn't charge you so much.

Our Navy and Air Force are more than capable of reacting quickly without having bases on every corner of the world.

Anyone with a clue about the military knows this.

Now that I've taught you something you can go back to checking customer IDs for cigarettes and giving them incorrect change.

And there is such a thing as the tooth fairy and black racism is a myth right?

 

[GuyPinestra]

So what I'm getting out of this thread is that the justification for our over bloated military is so we can be the world police...America the white horse riding in to save the day.

Screw our poor, our schools, our education. We have to beat up all the world's bad guys instead.

I don't often agree with you, but in this case you are absolutely correct.

Reps on the way!

 

[Redfish]

So what I'm getting out of this thread is that the justification for our over bloated military is so we can be the world police...America the white horse riding in to save the day.

Screw our poor, our schools, our education. We have to beat up all the world's bad guys instead.

there is another consideration, military spending creates jobs for millions of blue collar americans. Do we put those people on unemployment?

Or do we take the same money and spend it on infrastructure?

Either way we are continuing to spend more than we take in, somehow the federal budget must be balanced.

 

[Mr. Peepers]

Why? Because war is good business. Just ask the thieves, I mean, "defense contractors" who made out like bandits in Iraq. This country doesn't do anything unless there is profit to be had.

 

[healthmyths]

KNOWN as TREATIES,AGREEMENTS...

1950–1999
1951 – Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – (with U.S. qualifications)
1951 – Treaty of San Francisco – a peace treaty between the Allied powers and Japan; ends the Pacific conflict of World War II
1951 – Mutual Defense Treaty – between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America
1951 – Treaty of Security between the United States and Japan (updated 1960)
1952 – ANZUS Treaty – mutual defense alliance between Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.
1953 – Mutual Defense Treaty – Created an alliance with South Korea, and established the basis of South Korean adherence with U.S. Government consulations on North Korean policy
1954 – U.S. and Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement
1954 – Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty – creates SEATO mutual defense organization
1954 - Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty
1955 – Central Treaty Organization AKA CENTO, the Middle East Treaty Organization (METO), Baghdad Pact – creates CENTO mutual defense organization
1955 – The Open Skies Treaty – allow access to other nations' military activities by means of aerial surveillance flights
1956 – Dutch-American Friendship Treaty
1957 – International Atomic Energy Treaty (US PL 85-177)
1958 – 1958 US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement – with United Kingdom
1960 – Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan – mutual defense treaty with Japan
1961 – Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (US PL 87-297)
1961 – Antarctic Treaty – governs international relations in Antarctica
1961 – Columbia River Treaty (ratified in 1964) – with Canada to manage water in the Columbia River valley
1961 – Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
1961 – Alliance for Progress
1961 – Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
1962 – Nassau agreement – defense treaty with United Kingdom
1963 – Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
1963 – Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage
1963 – Partial Test Ban Treaty
1966 – U.S.–Thai Treaty of Amity – commercial treaty with the Kingdom of Thailand
1967 – Outer Space Treaty
1968 – Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
1969 – Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
1970 – Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
1970 – Boundary Treaty of 1970 – settles U.S. – Mexico border on Rio Grande
1971 – Geneva Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms
1971 – Convention on Psychotropic Substances
1972 – Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty AKA ABM Treaty (U.S. withdrew in 2002)
1972 – SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty)
1972 – Biological Weapons Convention
1972 – Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) (implemented by U.S., but not signed)
1972 – Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement – regulates water quality along the U.S.-Canadian border
1973 – Paris Peace Accords – with North Vietnam ending the Vietnam War
1974 – Threshold Test Ban Treaty
1977 – Torrijos-Carter Treaties – transfer of Panama Canal to Panama
1978 – Camp David Accords – between Israel and Egypt; negotiated and signed in U.S.
1978 – Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (1978) – regulates water quality along the U.S.-Canadian border
1979 – SALT II (not ratified by U.S.)
1985 – Plaza Accord – G-5 agreed to devalue the US dollar in relation to the Japanese yen and German Deutsche Mark by intervening in currency markets
1986 – Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties between States and International Organizations or Between International Organizations
1988 – Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) – with U.S. and USSR
1988 – United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
1988 – United Nations Convention Against Torture
1989 – Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
1990 – Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany – final World War II peace with Germany and Allies
1991 – Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe - Signed by all 16 NATO members and Warsaw Pact nations; ratified by all 16 NATO states, the eight successor states to the USSR that have territory in Europe, and the six former Warsaw Pact nations
1991 – START I (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) – with US and USSR
1992 – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ratified with qualifications by U.S. Senate)
1992 – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
1993 – Oslo Accords – between PLO and Israel; negotiated with U.S. involvement
1993 – Chemical Weapons Convention
1993 – START II (ratified by U.S. and Russia)
1994 – North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
1994 – Kremlin accords – US and USSR missile and nuclear weapons control
1994 – United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea AKA Law of the Sea, LOS (not ratified by U.S.)
1994 – Colorado river dispute – with Mexico on water quality and quantity
1995 – Dayton Agreement – ends war and determines the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina; negotiated and signed in U.S.
1995 – General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
1996 – WIPO Copyright Treaty – protects computer programs and databases
1996 – WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
1996 – Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (signed but not ratified by U.S.)
1997 – Worldwide Chemical Weapons Convention
1998 – Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court ("unsigned" by the U.S.)
[edit]2000–current
2000 – Patent Law Treaty (PLT) – (not ratified by U.S.)
2001 – Convention on Cybercrime – a highly controversial proposal (U.S. Senate ratified August 2006 [9])
2002 – SORT (Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty) AKA Moscow Treaty – limits the nuclear arsenals of Russia and the U.S.
2004 – International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture AKA "International Seed Treaty" – to assure farmers' access to seeds of the world's food security crops (not ratified by U.S.)
2005 – Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement
2010 – New START (The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) U.S./Russia Treaty – limits the nuclear arsenal capabilities of Russia and the U.S. while allowing for inspection.
Pending
Free Trade Area of the Americas
Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT)
WIPO Protection of Broadcasting Organizations
U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA)

 

[Samson]

So what I'm getting out of this thread is that the justification for our over bloated military is so we can be the world police...America the white horse riding in to save the day.

Screw our poor, our schools, our education. We have to beat up all the world's bad guys instead.

there is another consideration, military spending creates jobs for millions of blue collar americans. Do we put those people on unemployment? .

Good point.

The purpose of the military is to defend US interests, not to act as a trainer/employer.

However, Is there really anything wrong with reducing the size of military forces, then using the budget savings to fund a "Civilian Conservation Corps" where enlistment would be manditory for all unemployed 18-30 year olds?

 

[Redfish]

So what I'm getting out of this thread is that the justification for our over bloated military is so we can be the world police...America the white horse riding in to save the day.

Screw our poor, our schools, our education. We have to beat up all the world's bad guys instead.

there is another consideration, military spending creates jobs for millions of blue collar americans. Do we put those people on unemployment? .

Good point.

The purpose of the military is to defend US interests, not to act as a trainer/employer.

However, Is there really anything wrong with reducing the size of military forces, then using the budget savings to fund a "Civilian Conservation Corps" where enlistment would be manditory for all unemployed 18-30 year olds?

I think mandatory govt service of some kind may be a good idea, but your FDR CCC idea would only work if they were doing real work--not digging and filling up ditches as they did with the CCC under FDR.

But unless we balance the budget none of it will matter because the economy will collapse.

 

[thanatos144]

So what I'm getting out of this thread is that the justification for our over bloated military is so we can be the world police...America the white horse riding in to save the day.

Screw our poor, our schools, our education. We have to beat up all the world's bad guys instead.

there is another consideration, military spending creates jobs for millions of blue collar americans. Do we put those people on unemployment? .

Good point.

The purpose of the military is to defend US interests, not to act as a trainer/employer.

However, Is there really anything wrong with reducing the size of military forces, then using the budget savings to fund a "Civilian Conservation Corps" where enlistment would be manditory for all unemployed 18-30 year olds?

So you want to force people into service.....You want all youth to be slaves per say ....for what? cause we help train other forces????You think this is wrong training other forces...I mean you would rather we occupy them which would cost more money and mean more troops right?

 

[Samson]

there is another consideration, military spending creates jobs for millions of blue collar americans. Do we put those people on unemployment? .

Good point.

The purpose of the military is to defend US interests, not to act as a trainer/employer.

However, Is there really anything wrong with reducing the size of military forces, then using the budget savings to fund a "Civilian Conservation Corps" where enlistment would be manditory for all unemployed 18-30 year olds?

So you want to force people into service.....You want all youth to be slaves per say ....for what? cause we help train other forces????You think this is wrong training other forces...I mean you would rather we occupy them which would cost more money and mean more troops right?

Thanks for trying to respond.

You apparently have serious reading comprehension problems. Much of what you're asking about I've already addressed.

Try again to read what I wrote when you get home from school.