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2seaoat wrote:I would like to see the 25% cut over twenty years. It would be steady and predictable. We simply do not need to be carrying offensive wars to other places. Our carrier groups are insane. The problem is the next war will not be fought as the last war. We need more research and development, certainly unmanned drones, and improved laser weapons, but the idea that our carrier groups could not be wiped out entirely by tactical nuclear weapons is absurd. I am not the slightest bit worried about the other items in the budget until we get back in line with other nations in defense spending. I do not think across the board is how cuts should be made. We need a congress which will engage their brains and set priorities. Right now the defense budget needs to be reduced. Do we need bases in Germany, Italy, and South Korea? It is time to talk about real deep cuts, but NOT quickly....planned, consistent, and long term.
I, for one, am extremely happy to be living in a country that dominates in defense spending. I thought your OP was about the out of control budget, but it seems your issue is with parity in world defense spending. What is it that is unpalatable about the US dominating? Hasn't that worked to our advantage many times in history?
Your stance on 25% reductions over twenty years amounts to a drop in the debt bucket. Using your Wiki article, which states that the US spent $640 billion on defense in 2013, a reduction of 25% of $640B each year for twenty years amounts to slightly more than $3T. That's not going to help much. But, it's true that it's a step in the right direction.
I am more concerned with the out of control debt, which threatens to doom us all.
