Now's time to cut back on spending for military

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6114216.html

America could maintain security while reducing defense budget

By CHARLES V. PENA Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Nov. 15, 2008, 9:11AM

Can the United States really afford to spend an additional $600 billion on the Pentagon next year, on top of the $750 billion Wall Street bailout and another planned stimulus package? More important, is it necessary?

Those are two of many critical questions the Obama administration will face in January. For the sake of our country, it needs to get the answers right.

The reality is: The United States would be just as secure if we reduced military spending, perhaps more so. snip

To provide perspective, current defense spending levels are higher in real terms than at any time during the Reagan era and have been surpassed only three times in history: in 1945 and 1946, when World War II was coming to an end and the Cold War just beginning, and in 1952, during the Korean War. But unlike these previous periods, the record spending comes at a time when the United States is more secure than at any time in the last 100 years, confronted by neither a serious military challenger nor a global hegemonic threat, such as the Soviet Union.

Besides, our large strategic nuclear arsenal (nearly 6,000 warheads) provides a powerful deterrent against any country with nuclear weapons — even against the likes of North Korea and Iran if they eventually acquire long-range ballistic missiles.

The time has come for the United States to plan not only its exit from Iraq, but from other countries where our military presence is unnecessary and often unappreciated. We don't need U.S. troops in Europe, for example, where there is no military threat to NATO, nor in South Korea or Japan. Our European and Asian allies are wealthy enough to pay for their own security needs.

[Kolesar]

1. Government should not "reward" the incompetent management at Lockheed with taxpayers' money

...after they take an extra decade to finish the air superiority "jet fighter" that was conceived in an era when the Soviet Air Force was our "rival".

[patrice]

2. "Military" gets more than 50% of revenues doesn't it?

While "Our European and Asian allies are wealthy enough to pay for their own security needs."

[BeFree]

3. Not this again

Everyone knows that we must spend more on controlling the world. If we stop increasing our control, our economy will die, GM will be put to sleep, jobs will be lost, and our reputation around the world will decline.

Why do you people hate the Newmerican Empire?