What do you think the US military budget should be?

[Knowledgeispower]

Given the numerous commitments and tasks the US military is given by its political overlords how much money should its annual budget be? In my opinion the total sum should be around 900 billion as compared to its 721.5 billion of the current year. Of this around 80 billion would go to increasing wages, 10 billion would to upgrading and building bases, 60 billion would go to procurement and the upgrading of current equipment, 20 billion would go to increased training, and the remaining sum would be used for more R@D. I'd also increase the VA's annual budget from it's current 200 billion to 240 billion.

Also what do you think the various allies of the US should spend on their armed forces? Personally if they're not spending the 2% of GDP on defence that they're bound to do by treaty within 2 years they're out of the US's nuclear umbrella and will remain so until they meet said requirement for 3 years

 

[prinCZess]

Depends on what Presidents/Congress want to use the US military for--and whether some of the reapportioning ideas for funding are viable or actually things that should be done (the one that sticks out in my mind being the Marine Corps expressed desire to axe all their tanks--something I imagine would see some savings that could be distributed to other uses since all the training, maintenance and acquisition goes bye-bye). Remove the drag of ongoing occupations/presences in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and such and there'd probably be some funding that could be reduced.

But, even then, if the US's leaders want to keep up the whole prospect of securing Europe and being NATO's big guy while also staring down the PRC and Norks in Asia and being the guarantor of free navigation for everyone with regards to both the seas there and in the Mideast especially...well, a lot of the 'saved' funding by above things might 'have' to be plowed back into naval stuff for carrier groups and basing for them and all that jazz if we want to do it right.
Whether we should continue that job at all might be a policy question worth asking--and this ties into the above 'depends on what Presidents/Congress want to use the military for'.

Of course, I'd also include, if the present state of affairs wrt that continues, there should be some requirements on allies that they maintain funding (NATO in particular one for this)--and maybe some way of rewarding or preferencing those who do (and have) maintained such in the past (I know moving US bases in Germany to Poland has been kicked around because of the state of the former's military in comparison to the latter).

 

[Sailor.X]

I would keep it at the what it was before the Congress Critters decided to play games with sequestration. Because.........
1: Shit Breaks all the time and needs to be fixed.
2: Shit uses a lot of fuel.
3: You need to replace old shit with new shit all the time.
4: China is trying to make more military shit than our military shit.
5: There is a lot of secret shit in development and actual use that is funded by our large Military Budget.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

Half of what it is now, not by dropping the budget but rather by decreasing the militaries size drastically to 450,000 men while keeping research up that amount of men isn't really needed by the U.S. in the post cold war era.

Europe is well capable of defending itself now, SK can hold off the north until we arrive along with the forces we keep stationed there and finally there are no enemies on land in the western hemisphere that can challenge the U.S. so having a land army that big anymore is redundant.

 

[Zachowon]

I would keep it at the what it was before the Congress Critters decided to play games with sequestration. Because.........
1: Shit Breaks all the time and needs to be fixed.
2: Shit uses a lot of fuel.
3: You need to replace old shit with new shit all the time.
4: China is trying to make more military shit than our military shit.
5: There is a lot of secret shit in development and actual use that is funded by our large Military Budget.

I mean, we will still win with Broken shit, because this is the US military we are talking about. If you cant fix it with duct tape and a privates tears, it can be fixed with an NCOs Sweat and motivation.

Half of what it is now, not by dropping the budget but rather by decreasing the militaries size drastically to 450,000 men while keeping research up that amount of men isn't really needed by the U.S. in the post cold war era.

Europe is well capable of defending itself now, SK can hold off the north until we arrive along with the forces we keep stationed there and finally there are no enemies on land in the western hemisphere that can challenge the U.S. so having a land army that big anymore is redundant.

No, because if you pay attention to the world, pay attention to the country. We are the biggest damn volunteer military in the world. If we drop our size, it shows others we are pulling out of places. it shows weakness. It would definently give China and DERP Korea ideas.

SK needs our constant presence, Poland is getting a larger base and we are going to send more troops there.
Also you do know we do not have any forward permenant bases except for Korea right? They are all rotational units. Also i ment units not Bases.

Having a military that needs more money really, because we get shit pay, and great benefits. Increase the former and it would be better.

The Army is the biggest damn branch for a reason HOOAH!

 

[Free-Stater 101]

No, because if you pay attention to the world, pay attention to the country. We are the biggest damn volunteer military in the world.

What is this statement supposed to mean?

If we drop our size, it shows others we are pulling out of places.

Duh, of course. But it's not like every country in the world needs Military troop rotation on them they are costly and in most cases redundant especially the ones in Europe half of them are leftovers from when the Soviets were in Berlin.

it shows weakness.

Define 'weakness' if we downsize the Army by half and still keep the same amount of troops in SK as before while all the while keeping the navy and military research at the same levels I don't see how they would suddenly get uppity.

It would definently give China

China has no direct neighbors it can invade.

1. Vietnam? No to strong and guaranteed to win with inevitable American help.
2. NK? nope a attack dog that's to useful and already completely dependent on them.
3. Taiwan? Nope even with the U.S. army halved in size the Navy is still impenetrable at sea and China cant get passed it, to say nothing of the fact that just because the army has been reduced to half it's size doesn't mean that its' other weapons aren't mothballed in storage.
4. Mongolia? Russia says LOL NOPE.
5. Pakistan? Nuclear weapons say hello
6. India? Nuclear weapon's and big darn army says hello.
7. The Stans again Russia says LOL NOPE.

SK needs our constant presence,

Yes out if all our allies I agree to that much South Korea actually needs these bases the same for japan so we have a staging ground in Asia.

Poland is getting a larger base and we are going to send more troops there.

Poland really doesn't need it, the combined forces of NATO could ROLF stomp Russia handily on their own conventionally without nuclear weapons.

Also you do know we do not have any forward permenant bases except for Korea right? They are all rotational units. Also i ment units not Bases.

Yes, but they are still units that cost money to maintain in the end none the less.

Having a military that needs more money really, because we get shit pay, and great benefits. Increase the former and it would be better.

I agree the soldiers need more pay individually, don't misinterpret my reasoning when it comes to me wanting to downsize the army as a vendetta against it in particular, It's more out of pragmatism than anything.

My main fear at the moment is that we are overspending too much by GDP on not just the military but everything else in general and that the military staff should come up with better means of allocating resources rather than the throwing money at the issue.

The U.S. Army (I mean MURICA is awesome) but I only support the downsizing because I am sick and tired of the U.S. being the world police, especially in Europe where they practically are practically begging us to stay just to keep Russia away, because none of them want to hassle themselves with raising there defensive spending. That and I fear that if we don't cut spending soon we will end up worse that the Soviets in the 90's

The Army is the biggest damn branch for a reason HOOAH!

HOORAH indeed, I salute you sir!

 

[Zachowon]

What is this statement supposed to mean?

Duh, of course. But it's not like every country in the world needs Military troop rotation on them they are costly and in most cases redundant especially the ones in Europe half of them are leftovers from when the Soviets were in Berlin.

Define 'weakness' if we downsize the Army by half and still keep the same amount of troops in SK as before while all the while keeping the navy and military research at the same levels I don't see how they would suddenly get uppity.

China has no direct neighbors it can invade.

1. Vietnam? No to strong and guaranteed to win with inevitable American help.
2. NK? nope a attack dog that's to useful and already completely dependent on them.
3. Taiwan? Nope even with the U.S. army halved in size the Navy is still impenetrable at sea and China cant get passed it, to say nothing of the fact that just because the army has been reduced to half it's size doesn't mean that its' other weapons aren't mothballed in storage.
4. Mongolia? Russia says LOL NOPE.
5. Pakistan? Nuclear weapons say hello
6. India? Nuclear weapon's and big darn army says hello.
7. The Stans again Russia says LOL NOPE.

Yes out if all our allies I agree to that much South Korea actually needs these bases the same for japan so we have a staging ground in Asia.

Poland really doesn't need it, the combined forces of NATO could ROLF stomp Russia handily on their own conventionally without nuclear weapons.

Yes, but they are still units that cost money to maintain in the end none the less.

I agree the soldiers need more pay individually, don't misinterpret my reasoning when it comes to me wanting to downsize the army as a vendetta against it in particular, It's more out of pragmatism than anything.

My main fear at the moment is that we are overspending too much by GDP on not just the military but everything else in general and that the military staff should come up with better means of allocating resources rather than the throwing money at the issue.

The U.S. Army (I mean MURICA is awesome) but I only support the downsizing because I am sick and tired of the U.S. being the world police, especially in Europe where they practically are practically begging us to stay just to keep Russia away, because none of them want to hassle themselves with raising there defensive spending. That and I fear that if we don't cut spending soon we will end up worse that the Soviets in the 90's

HOORAH indeed, I salute you sir!

Weakness would be "America Downsizing military! Showing they are no longer the big dog!" And then China and Russia would start rubbing thier hands together and go "Looks like we can have some fun~". The US Army will always be the bigest branch, as even if people dont beilive it, we do work with all branches, and everything. Cutting the Army down, hurts the fighting force by a large margin. In fact we are increasing because of the potiential for new war.

It should be mentioned that RUssia would not be ROFLSTOMPED by the NATO forces, without US help. They would be able to hold thier own, but it would be a long drawn out war.

I know some things about nK and China that I cant say, but it isnt as simple between those two.

Also do you really think Poland wants to risk Russia invasion? Espeically since we are seeing how they are doing against the Turks, and Poland is weaker then them.

Germany is kicking the troops out.

I would rather have a large army, and have it be the biggest branch then shrink it, becauase it would show other countries we are weaker. Mainly from the point that "America is backing down from around ther world!" And probrably cause chaos. We can pull out, just do not shrink the military. That is the worst thing to possibly do.

It should be noted that we are understaffed nearly everywehre in the Army, or in the areas that it matters. So downgrading just wont work, when we barley have enough as is.

The Military is not even 5 percent of the GDP...

we wont end up like the USSR, because we dont spend money on thigns that wont ever see the light of day vehicle and aircraft wise. We spend money on it, but it is usually a one time payment, unless more testing is done.

In the end, the US GDP would suffer as would the country if the military was to get less funding. I persoanlly say the military should get a raise in the GDP to make it 5%

 

[Free-Stater 101]

Weakness would be "America Downsizing military! Showing they are no longer the big dog!" And then China and Russia would start rubbing thier hands together and go "Looks like we can have some fun~". The US Army will always be the bigest branch, as even if people dont beilive it, we do work with all branches, and everything. Cutting the Army down, hurts the fighting force by a large margin. In fact we are increasing because of the potiential for new war.

I am not sure if you are annoyed or just passionate about this givin your bio the latter is more probable.

It should be mentioned that RUssia would not be ROFLSTOMPED by the NATO forces, without US help. They would be able to hold thier own, but it would be a long drawn out war.

I never stated that the U.S. should abandon NATO or just let Russia run rampant, their is a difference between shutting a few military bases down in Europe and completely abandoning them, we can still send troops if needed and it's not like our nuclear umbrella would magically vanish in that instance.

Another thing you need to consider is the fact that the Armies of Europe while not as capable of ROLFstomping Russia s easily are pretty much guaranteed to win any conflict against them even if U.S. and Russia know this.

I know some things about nK and China that I cant say, but it isnt as simple between those two.

I do too, NK is a rabid attack dog in China's yard that is tied to a long rope with a dog dish at the end of it. So China can feed and keep it afloat but stay at a distance. China saber rattles and makes out like they are firm allies but at the end of the day if NK were to bite China's hand China could simply refuse to feed it and it would collapse.

China doesn't keep NK around because they are a reliable ally, they keep them around so the U.S. military wont be parked outside Manchuria.

Also do you really think Poland wants to risk Russia invasion? Espeically since we are seeing how they are doing against the Turks, and Poland is weaker then them.

No I don't think they want to an invasion but again Russia wont try to touch them because unlike the Ukraine they are a member of a European military alliance that would beat them in a war of attrition in any scenario and lets face it the days of the Russians having the ability to mark to Paris are over.

Germany is kicking the troops out.

That's their business and quite frankly a good thing to teach them some responsibility.

I would rather have a large army, and have it be the biggest branch then shrink it, becauase it would show other countries we are weaker. Mainly from the point that "America is backing down from around ther world!" And probrably cause chaos. We can pull out, just do not shrink the military. That is the worst thing to possibly do.

That's a matter of opinion I respect.

The Military is not even 5 percent of the GDP...

This was my mistake, forgive me, it was late when I wrote this.

I wasn't talking about GDP in my brain the main problem with spending in the U.S. at the moment is we are running a debt to do so, Why? Because the budget is raised year after year and yet taxes are always lowered or cut leading to higher expenditure and less revenue overall leading to financial troubles.

we wont end up like the USSR, because we dont spend money on thigns that wont ever see the light of day vehicle and aircraft wise.

The F-22 Raptor saw the light of day and I will say that the cost still wasn't worth it and the Bradley similarly had a high cost project wise as "pentagon wars" demonstrates.

The Military has always had a big problem in grossly overspending on these types of projects due to the fact that they don't want to secure funding for others and so try to cram a single project to fill as many roles as possible.

In the end, the US GDP would suffer as would the country if the military was to get less funding. I persoanlly say the military should get a raise in the GDP to make it 5%

That okay as long as you agree to get taxes raise it's funding.

 

[Sixgun McGurk]

The budget should be whatever it takes to make the USA and its territories unassailable to physical attack and its interests deeply perilous to threaten. Not a penny more.

We in the US have been acting as the world's policeman long enough. The truth is that a real policeman has to have both integrity and honesty and the majority of the leaders of this country have neither.

Our troops should be on our own land defending against real threats. I don't care if the Russians intimidate the Germans, North Korea South Korea or visa versa, we have been driven out of those economies and our exports halted. Our guys don't belong in the middle of their problems if we cant do business there. The only reason that we remain is for the money laundering that occurs where a fat skim of our 'defense' budget goes into the pockets of those that approve and levy the tax to take that money from us. And the racket of these Middle East deployments is too uselessly corrupt for words. No one involved can be trusted.

It has become evident that the politicians are personally profiting from these endless useless deployments. They send the guys out on useless missions, spend trillions to bomb camels and everyone gets rich except for the broken families, dead kids and lost opportunity, not to mention poor old stumpy in the wheelchair. Hereditary Senator Gladhand passes him a medal even as his manufactured television image smiles out at us little people with acid contempt.

A Federal Republic run by representative democracy is a poor fit for hegemon, as its too easy to control the leaders. Its only 535 people, 100 Senators and 435 Representatives. If you corrupt 51 Senators and 216 representatives, then you own the United States Of America and can commence squeezing the wealth out like a sponge, as our manufacturing collapse proves. It's 267 people, most the offspring of former politicians, all with numerous skeletons in their closets and an FBI that knows about them all. How hard could it be to get them under control? Better and safer for all concerned for the USA to maintain a defensive posture and get out of the world saving business altogether before the stupid quotent of this giant corrupt comittee of shitristocraps gets the world blown apart.

 

[Zachowon]

I am not sure if you are annoyed or just passionate about this givin your bio the latter is more probable.

Just passionate, I am currently serving and stationed in Korea

I never stated that the U.S. should abandon NATO or just let Russia run rampant, their is a difference between shutting a few military bases down in Europe and completely abandoning them, we can still send troops if needed and it's not like our nuclear umbrella would magically vanish in that instance.

Another thing you need to consider is the fact that the Armies of Europe while not as capable of ROLFstomping Russia s easily are pretty much guaranteed to win any conflict against them even if U.S. and Russia know this.

I do too, NK is a rabid attack dog in China's yard that is tied to a long rope with a dog dish at the end of it. So China can feed and keep it afloat but stay at a distance. China saber rattles and makes out like they are firm allies but at the end of the day if NK were to bite China's hand China could simply refuse to feed it and it would collapse.

China doesn't keep NK around because they are a reliable ally, they keep them around so the U.S. military wont be parked outside Manchuria.


No I don't think they want to an invasion but again Russia wont try to touch them because unlike the Ukraine they are a member of a European military alliance that would beat them in a war of attrition in any scenario and lets face it the days of the Russians having the ability to mark to Paris are over.

That's their business and quite frankly a good thing to teach them some responsibility.

Russia is still a very large threat, and stand a chance of getting past Poland faster then the rest of NATO can react, and probably push into Germany and make it cold war all over again. I honestly dont know what is going on in Europe right now.

As for nK, if they were to be taken by China it would be closer to all out war with the US. Dropping troops numbers could give them a reason to do something.

That's a matter of opinion I respect.

It is the truth of this current Cold War. China and Russia are waiting.

This was my mistake, forgive me, it was late when I wrote this.

I wasn't talking about GDP in my brain the main problem with spending in the U.S. at the moment is we are running a debt to do so, Why? Because the budget is raised year after year and yet taxes are always lowered or cut leading to higher expenditure and less revenue overall leading to financial troubles.

The Military budget goes up and down constantly, it isnt always going up.

Also you are fine.

The F-22 Raptor saw the light of day and I will say that the cost still wasn't worth it and the Bradley similarly had a high cost project wise as "pentagon wars" demonstrates.

The Military has always had a big problem in grossly overspending on these types of projects due to the fact that they don't want to secure funding for others and so try to cram a single project to fill as many roles as possible.

You have a point, but we also are the strongest and most advanced military in the world for nothing. So yes Overspending does happen, it isnt as bad as you think. It could get better of course.

That okay as long as you agree to get taxes raise it's funding.

I dont mind a raise in taxes specifically to go towards military funding.

The budget should be whatever it takes to make the USA and its territories unassailable to physical attack and its interests deeply perilous to threaten. Not a penny more.

We in the US have been acting as the world's policeman long enough. The truth is that a real policeman has to have both integrity and honesty and the majority of the leaders of this country have neither.

Our troops should be on our own land defending against real threats. I don't care if the Russians intimidate the Germans, North Korea South Korea or visa versa, we have been driven out of those economies and our exports halted. Our guys don't belong in the middle of their problems if we cant do business there. The only reason that we remain is for the money laundering that occurs where a fat skim of our 'defense' budget goes into the pockets of those that approve and levy the tax to take that money from us. And the racket of these Middle East deployments is too uselessly corrupt for words. No one involved can be trusted.

It has become evident that the politicians are personally profiting from these endless useless deployments. They send the guys out on useless missions, spend trillions to bomb camels and everyone gets rich except for the broken families, dead kids and lost opportunity, not to mention poor old stumpy in the wheelchair. Hereditary Senator Gladhand passes him a medal even as his manufactured television image smiles out at us little people with acid contempt.

A Federal Republic run by representative democracy is a poor fit for hegemon, as its too easy to control the leaders. Its only 535 people, 100 Senators and 435 Representatives. If you corrupt 51 Senators and 216 representatives, then you own the United States Of America and can commence squeezing the wealth out like a sponge, as our manufacturing collapse proves. It's 267 people, most the offspring of former politicians, all with numerous skeletons in their closets and an FBI that knows about them all. How hard could it be to get them under control? Better and safer for all concerned for the USA to maintain a defensive posture and get out of the world saving business altogether before the stupid quotent of this giant corrupt comittee of shitristocraps gets the world blown apart.

Have you ever been here? The South koreans, a majority, love us here, and we help the areas we are in thrive. We have not been driven out of the South korean economy at all...

 

[Sixgun McGurk]

Do you understand what a balance of trade is? Yeah the South Koreans love us. They export high value goods to us and import raw materials and a net flow of wealth into their economy from ours. That means that they no longer have to knead human waste into their rice paddies with their feet in order to survive. It means that the workers in our decayed former factory towns displaced by Hyundai might have to take it up. I don't care what the Koreans or anyone else thinks of us. US doesn't stand for Uncle Sugar and our troops can be more profitably employed against our actual enemies.

 

[Deleted member 88]

The US pays for this as well, through defense. Korea and Europe get American raw products and return to us manufactured goods, weakening American industry and hollowing out our economic base in exchange for protection.

Lest anyone think this is some natural economic process-it isn’t.

It was a conscious choice made in the Cold War-the US would weaken its own economy and industry to bolster its allies economies. The richer Germany and Korea were-the stronger bulwarks they’d be against Soviet expansion and they’d be at less risk of leftist unrest domestically(which was half the point of the Marshall Plan).

We don’t live in the 1970s though anymore. Russia and China are both powerful and would yes like to dispense with the American order, but we do not need to continue having our wealth sucked out for Germany or SK-both countries are rich enough to defend themselves. If they aren’t willing to do so. Then let Russia have its hegemony and let the Norks gain the compliance of the south.

The US should start protecting its own industry again, and not building other countries at its expense just because that may have been helpful in the Cold War.

That’s Trump’s whole point. We’re being ripped off. The US bleeds it’s own economy dry for its allies who happily support US troops but make money at our expense.

 

[Zachowon]

Do you understand what a balance of trade is? Yeah the South Koreans love us. They export high value goods to us and import raw materials and a net flow of wealth into their economy from ours. That means that they no longer have to knead human waste into their rice paddies with their feet in order to survive. It means that the workers in our decayed former factory towns displaced by Hyundai might have to take it up. I don't care what the Koreans or anyone else thinks of us. US doesn't stand for Uncle Sugar and our troops can be more profitably employed against our actual enemies.

Have...jave you ever actually been to Korea outside of Seuol? The country outside if major cities is Rice farms and factories. I can go off base and past the Ville and all you will see are small homes and rice patties with factories in the back ground.

The US pays for this as well, through defense. Korea and Europe get American raw products and return to us manufactured goods, weakening American industry and hollowing out our economic base in exchange for protection.

Lest anyone think this is some natural economic process-it isn’t.

It was a conscious choice made in the Cold War-the US would weaken its own economy and industry to bolster its allies economies. The richer Germany and Korea were-the stronger bulwarks they’d be against Soviet expansion and they’d be at less risk of leftist unrest domestically(which was half the point of the Marshall Plan).

We don’t live in the 1970s though anymore. Russia and China are both powerful and would yes like to dispense with the American order, but we do not need to continue having our wealth sucked out for Germany or SK-both countries are rich enough to defend themselves. If they aren’t willing to do so. Then let Russia have its hegemony and let the Norks gain the compliance of the south.

The US should start protecting its own industry again, and not building other countries at its expense just because that may have been helpful in the Cold War.

That’s Trump’s whole point. We’re being ripped off. The US bleeds it’s own economy dry for its allies who happily support US troops but make money at our expense.

It isnt actually like that here in Korea.
The country does not rely on American troops. A few cities may, the ones like the ville right off base for instance, but most are formed and made by the Koreans, thanks to America.

Korea Japan area is the only place I will say the US needs to stay. For unlike in Europe, they have a threat they canr face alone.

 

[Sixgun McGurk]

Have...jave you ever actually been to Korea outside of Seuol? The country outside if major cities is Rice farms and factories. I can go off base and past the Ville and all you will see are small homes and rice patties with factories in the back ground.

It isnt actually like that here in Korea.
The country does not rely on American troops. A few cities may, the ones like the ville right off base for instance, but most are formed and made by the Koreans, thanks to America.

Korea Japan area is the only place I will say the US needs to stay. For unlike in Europe, they have a threat they canr face alone.

Wow, man, you really just don't get basic economics. Maybe you should join the Korean army if you feel so strongly about defending them. Jump out there on the DMZ and lay it on the line for mamma-san, fishhead soup and Korea.

I, as the taxpayer that has been footing the bill for these folks all my life, have zero interest in the quaint villages of Korea or in paying the bill for their security, especially not twice over with a constant trade deficit in their favor on top of the ruinous taxes collected on their behalf.

You're running around playing tourist in Korea, but you should be home getting into the work world so that you can get married and start a family. Instead there is a Korean with a bright future doing all that, a guy who makes great money in a giant heavy industrial company, all because someone gave him a job that should still be in Detroit going to someone like you, and because someone (you) took his place on the firing line.

And when you get home, you'll never find that great heavy industrial job that lets you get married, buy a nice house, have a car, a boat, a camper, college educations for your kids and a comfortable retirement, like people could get from the 30's through the 70's working in heavy industry, because amazingly, those jobs all went away somewhere. They'll tell you 'Learn to code,' and offer you a free semester of Community College. without telling you that they teach stuff ten years out of date and that in a decade most programming will be automated anyway.

Straight up there is nothing but fail built in to this cold war 'trip wire' policy, especially in Korea. If Xi Jinping wants to drop us in the shit then all he has to do is pull a string and have his NK puppet act. We won't nuke or invade him over it and what does he care about millions of dead Koreans? South Korea is a competitor and North Korea is a rabid dog and wouldn't be missed. If we are not there, then he has to worry about escalation when SK jets throw a revenge nuke on his head. What will he do when Japan has a hundred nuke boats at sea?

The USA gets no benefit over endlessly defending places that are eating us alive through ridiculous trade deficits and deliberately conspiring with criminals in Washington DC, stealing our industries and putting their people into the wealth and comfort that once was ours. It's time to relinquish the burden of defense and let the natives sort out the proper balance of power in Asia all by themselves. A good long war over there wouldn't be a problem for us at all.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

Wow, man, you really just don't get basic economics. Maybe you should join the Korean army if you feel so strongly about defending them. Jump out there on the DMZ and lay it on the line for mamma-san, fishhead soup and Korea.

You're running around playing tourist in Korea, but you should be home getting into the work world so that you can get married and start a family.

As someone who tries to respect everybody's opinions I will say this. Lay the fr*ck off with the personal insults, you are behaving like a child...

Everybody on this forum is entitled to their opinion in some form but I have seen literally zero cites or evidence you have presented to show your word or opinion as having any more worth than anybody else's here so layoff!

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Mind you ultimately what the US needs to be a world power based on its location on the Earth and thus has is a strong navy and airforce everything else in the armed forces is around to provide extra capabilities and thus make the US a superpower

 

[Free-Stater 101]

Russia is still a very large threat, and stand a chance of getting past Poland faster then the rest of NATO can react, and probably push into Germany and make it cold war all over again. I honestly dont know what is going on in Europe right now.

Russia can't do that and how would they justify such a invasion? and furthermore what insanity would have to happen to make the U.S. decide to just give away half of Germany again? The only reason it got partitioned last time was because Nazi Germany was defeated by both the Soviets and U.S. and a agreement was reached that split it.

Here is a video detailing this point.


As you can see the EU is more than capable of holding off the Russian's themselves and since I am not talking about leaving NATO rather just hauling the troops stationed their home, it means that if Russia were to invade the U.S. would respond and troops would eventually arrive anyway.

It is the truth of this current Cold War. China and Russia are waiting.

The problem with the way you describe these two is that you are acting as if they are a single monolith, they aren't. The Russian's and Chinese at the moment are unified by one thing, overthrowing the U.S. from its' superpower status. The problem is that both want to replace the U.S. and not the other.

The Chinese hope that through their growing economy and the U.S.'s slow decline that they can once again be the Middle Kingdom and dominate Asia through building soft power and slowly building up their military over time.

Meanwhile Russia is obsessed with regaining superpower status despite their economic short coming's and has taken to using vast spy networks and hackers as well as extreme diplomatic subterfuge to try and gain a upperhand while hoping the situation economically improves over time.

Both of these powers however have overlapping interest despite sharing a dislike of American dominace and both only want themselves as the replacement superpower and not the other, China doesn't want Russia to take superpower status and Russia likewise China .

I dont mind a raise in taxes specifically to go towards military funding.

The problem is the most of American's don't feel the same, hence government spending goes up and taxes go down. Because one of the major downsides of democracy is that unless there is a balanced budget amendment or something similar politicians won't raise taxes to meet its spending obligations as the public doesn't like it and it isn't a crowd pleaser/vote buyer.

Oh politicians will go on and on how they will 'fix' the economy and debt, but it doesn't matter if the economy is running to heavenly heights as long as the government isn't raising taxes to meet expenditure it's all lies as debt is still being accumulated.

 

[Zachowon]

Wow, man, you really just don't get basic economics. Maybe you should join the Korean army if you feel so strongly about defending them. Jump out there on the DMZ and lay it on the line for mamma-san, fishhead soup and Korea.

I, as the taxpayer that has been footing the bill for these folks all my life, have zero interest in the quaint villages of Korea or in paying the bill for their security, especially not twice over with a constant trade deficit in their favor on top of the ruinous taxes collected on their behalf.

You're running around playing tourist in Korea, but you should be home getting into the work world so that you can get married and start a family. Instead there is a Korean with a bright future doing all that, a guy who makes great money in a giant heavy industrial company, all because someone gave him a job that should still be in Detroit going to someone like you, and because someone (you) took his place on the firing line.

And when you get home, you'll never find that great heavy industrial job that lets you get married, buy a nice house, have a car, a boat, a camper, college educations for your kids and a comfortable retirement, like people could get from the 30's through the 70's working in heavy industry, because amazingly, those jobs all went away somewhere. They'll tell you 'Learn to code,' and offer you a free semester of Community College. without telling you that they teach stuff ten years out of date and that in a decade most programming will be automated anyway.

Straight up there is nothing but fail built in to this cold war 'trip wire' policy, especially in Korea. If Xi Jinping wants to drop us in the shit then all he has to do is pull a string and have his NK puppet act. We won't nuke or invade him over it and what does he care about millions of dead Koreans? South Korea is a competitor and North Korea is a rabid dog and wouldn't be missed. If we are not there, then he has to worry about escalation when SK jets throw a revenge nuke on his head. What will he do when Japan has a hundred nuke boats at sea?

The USA gets no benefit over endlessly defending places that are eating us alive through ridiculous trade deficits and deliberately conspiring with criminals in Washington DC, stealing our industries and putting their people into the wealth and comfort that once was ours. It's time to relinquish the burden of defense and let the natives sort out the proper balance of power in Asia all by themselves. A good long war over there wouldn't be a problem for us at all.

You.. do know most products that go from korea to the States are not major jobs being taken.... Besides tech and cars, most stuff imported comes from the neighboring countires: China, Vietnam, Taiwan. Maybe a few come from korea. It isnt enough to change the US economy.

I am in Intel, the US Army, should I want to, will teach me Coding, up to date coding, for free. I have to know something about it already of course, but not hard to learn. I am not here playing toursit, I am here defending an Ally of the United States while defending US interests here. I am doing more then a lot of people of the generation prior that decided to get those useless degrees. I am doing more then a lot of people would do.

I can find a job in the civilian world. I dont need to work in a factory in the city that was destroyed by its own Mayor over and over again. I can work a decent job with the FBI, or NSA, or any of those groups. I can find a job outside of the military. I am all for people doing something that makes them money, but also with the want and love for the job they do. Ask those factory workers if they enjoyed working a job like that. Ask if they could get a job that pays more if they would.

I am also a Taxpayer btw, I pay my self.

You seem to want us to Abandon all of our allies to die by those near them, and we become an enemy of the world instead of an ally.

Russia can't do that and how would they justify such a invasion? and furthermore what insanity would have to happen to make the U.S. decide to just give away half of Germany again? the only reason it got partitioned last time was because Nazi Germany was defeated by both the Soviets and U.S. and a agreement was reached.

Here is a video detailing this point.


As you can see the EU is more than capable of holding off the Russian's themselves and since I am not talking about leaving NATO rather just hauling the troops stationed their home it means that if Russia were to invade U.S. troops would eventually arrive anyway.

The problem with the way you describe these two is that you are acting as if they are a single monolith, they aren't. The Russian's and Chinese at the moment are unified by one thing overthrowing the U.S. from its' superpower status. The problem is that both want to replace the U.S. and not the other.

The Chines hope that through their growing economy and the U.S.'s slow decline that they can once again be the Middle Kingdom and dominate Asia through building soft power and slowly building up their military over time.

Meanwhile Russia is obsessed with regaining superpower status despite their economic short coming's and has taken to using vast spy networks and hackers as well as extreme diplomatic subterfuge to try and gain a upperhand while hoping the situation economically improves over time.

Both of these powers however have overlapping interest despite sharing a dislike of American dominace and both only want themselves as the replacement superpower not the other China doesn't want Russia to take superpower status and Russia likewise China .

The problem is the most of American's don't feel the same hence government spending goes up and taxes go down, because one of the major downsides of democracy is that unless there is a balanced budget amendment or something similar politicians won't raise taxes to meet its spending obligations as the public doesn't like it.

Oh politicians will go on and on how they will 'fix' the economy and debt, but it doesn't matter if the economy is running to heavenly heights as long as the government isn't raising taxes to meet expenditure it's all lies as debt is still being accumulated.

There is of course more to what Russia and China are doing from the IC standpoint, and what they are capable of. For open source though, you have a very valid point.

I think if other government programs that are useless were defunded you could move those over to the Military.

 

[Sixgun McGurk]

Allies help you in a war. There is no war and they aren't helping.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

Allies help you in a war. There is no war and they aren't helping.

Why not give a Arnold Schwarzenegger one liner? It would be as informative and well thought out as this post.

Allies don't just exist to help you 'in wars' they also exist to dissuade other countries by making a war with your country or another country seem not worth it. (NATO VS. Warsaw pact ring a bell?)

In Poland's and NATO's case for example, it exist to keep Russia from slowly gobbling up Europe one country at a time which isn't in the U.S.'s best interest policy or economic wise.

If you want to clearly show me that a complete withdraw into isolation and out of a alliance would help the U.S. then please explain how such massive realignment of other countries in Trade and economics would help U.S. industry to grow rather than, you know, involve a massive amounts of tariff's slapped onto our goods by other powers to strangle are industries in the bed.

Because in the end if you can't prove anything tangible your dream is nothing but a wish.