Comments on: Cutting the Defense Budget is Idiocy http://www.philosoguy.com/175/cutting-the-defense-budget-is-idiocy/ A blog for smart people... Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:17:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: TWA http://www.philosoguy.com/175/cutting-the-defense-budget-is-idiocy/comment-page-1/#comment-60 TWA Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:51:39 +0000 http://www.philosoguy.com/?p=175#comment-60 I agree that it is ridiculous to cut spending the same percentage across the board, but I'm not sure that the defense budget should be kept as it has been. I suppose, as you said, considering we are in two wars, we should keep investing in this area. Perhaps changing "what" we invest in on the defense end might be an intelligent way of approaching it. Let's continue to make sure our military forces get what they need to fight these wars, and then let's make sure they are treated with respect when they return to the US. I agree that it is ridiculous to cut spending the same percentage across the board, but I’m not sure that the defense budget should be kept as it has been. I suppose, as you said, considering we are in two wars, we should keep investing in this area. Perhaps changing “what” we invest in on the defense end might be an intelligent way of approaching it. Let’s continue to make sure our military forces get what they need to fight these wars, and then let’s make sure they are treated with respect when they return to the US.

]]> By: RRM22 http://www.philosoguy.com/175/cutting-the-defense-budget-is-idiocy/comment-page-1/#comment-58 RRM22 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:12:59 +0000 http://www.philosoguy.com/?p=175#comment-58 No objections to your comment about it is ridiculous to reduce all budgets out of some sense of "fairness". But I don't agree with "[The USA] can’t go on without a proper defense budget..." let alone "Furthermore, anyone who would weigh the budget used in the defense of our country the same as any other part of the President’s budget needs a reality check." My objections are (and apologies for list format!) [1] The current generation of carriers, strike aircraft etc are already streets ahead of anything Al-Qaeda and the taleban can boast. And yet where's Osama? Eh? EH?? You might have to sell me the idea that a newer and better generation of hardware is going to bring any real advantages that justify the expense of it. And no major nation is in any position to mount an old-fashioned superpower war against the USA. Really. So you might have to sell me the idea that this would change dangerously even if the US military was downsized, say, 20%. [2] the USA is far, far stronger an entity than the sum of the ammo in it's military's magazines. Is totally superior firepower to keep the barbarian hoardes away REALLY the only thing preventing the downfall of the American empire? Really?? Because that would be a pretty sad view to take. I would have thought your huge industrial base, healthy democracy and the deeply-ingrained spirit of freedom and personal responsibility that Americans (in general, i know, I know) seem to exhibit, are not nothing. And (with all due respect to your armed forces) those qualities are certainly doing more on a day-to-day basis to keep America on top than any high-tech slings and arrows are doing. No objections to your comment about it is ridiculous to reduce all budgets out of some sense of “fairness”.

But I don’t agree with

“[The USA] can’t go on without a proper defense budget…”

let alone

“Furthermore, anyone who would weigh the budget used in the defense of our country the same as any other part of the President’s budget needs a reality check.”

My objections are (and apologies for list format!)

[1]
The current generation of carriers, strike aircraft etc are already streets ahead of anything Al-Qaeda and the taleban can boast. And yet where’s Osama? Eh? EH?? You might have to sell me the idea that a newer and better generation of hardware is going to bring any real advantages that justify the expense of it.
And no major nation is in any position to mount an old-fashioned superpower war against the USA. Really. So you might have to sell me the idea that this would change dangerously even if the US military was downsized, say, 20%.

[2]
the USA is far, far stronger an entity than the sum of the ammo in it’s military’s magazines. Is totally superior firepower to keep the barbarian hoardes away REALLY the only thing preventing the downfall of the American empire? Really?? Because that would be a pretty sad view to take.
I would have thought your huge industrial base, healthy democracy and the deeply-ingrained spirit of freedom and personal responsibility that Americans (in general, i know, I know) seem to exhibit, are not nothing. And (with all due respect to your armed forces) those qualities are certainly doing more on a day-to-day basis to keep America on top than any high-tech slings and arrows are doing.

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