Opinion Why US spends so much on the army?

[Devout Pessimist]

The US has to spend a lot of money on their military to protect countries like Canada which cheap out when it comes to military spending and depend heavily on the USA (and its geographical location) for protection.

 

[My2Cents]

I believe it is mostly about funneling money to the companies developing and manufacturing the weapons and equipment. The US spends more than anyone else when we have no threats from other countries.

I believe this as well. Its also to enrich the rich

 

[SaiWa]

The US has to spend a lot of money on their military to protect countries like Canada which cheap out when it comes to military spending and depend heavily on the USA (and its geographical location) for protection.

Protect Canada from who and what? The last time a large group of foreigners invaded Canada with the intention of harming its citizens was back in 1812... I think there was a war then but I'd need to look that shit up...

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Protect Canada from who and what?

Mongolians.

 

[djacobox372]

military spending is almost entirely domestic, so were just paying $$ to ourselves. It's the socialist backbone of our economy.

 

[Shoemaker]

You should be proud if your American. The Ohio class holds the most SLBM ever made of submarine. Its a huge sub.

That stuff gives me the biggest freedom boner.

#SubsGiveMeChubs

 

[InternetHero]

Why do men cultivate gardens instead of savage jungles?

Harmony and social order, free trade, and all of the rest require a less-natural environment where predators and dangers are minimized. That requires strength in the way of actionable arms, that can kill those predators, and see to it new predators do not spring up.

The ancient law of nature.

 

[InternetHero]

Protect Canada from who and what? The last time a large group of foreigners invaded Canada with the intention of harming its citizens was back in 1812... I think there was a war then but I'd need to look that shit up...

If America vanished, something must fill the void, and probably China whose freedom of navigation, trade, and political forces would not be kind to Canada in this hypothetical. Also, whatever "ruled" the space that was the U.S. would probably be more belligerent without the relatively superpower in the neighborhood.

Say Brazil gets more authoritarian leadership, as tends to happen from time to time: "Why not openly loot Bolivia? Did you see what happened to that other country... war is not economically viable either with all this stability..." suddenly, you remove that stability, you remove those military and economic consequences, you remove the guideposts, the fences, and the archon of freedom and liberalization... who will run the neighborhood now? Uh oh...

We are all deeply influenced by power and culture, and there is no escape, just a chance to choose how to live by them.

 

[NoDak]

InternetHero's posts have a philosophical kind of vibe.

 

[Sambhava]

It’s funny that all this is spent on nuclear weaponry, when American youth are still dying through gang warfare and drug overdoses.
That money could be spent on socioeconomic enrichment for sure. There’s no point in it if quality of life, as an average and relative to gdp is so poor.

Funny thing is, all it takes, in this day and age is cybernetic brilliance to turn the fancy nuclear capabilities on its head. That’s what your military should be worried about.

I think american meanderings in wmds is a waste of time, on humanitarian grounds at least.

 

[Sambhava]

InternetHero's posts have a philosophical kind of vibe.

They are creepy analogies the reich would agree with.

 

[mixcontactsport]

 

[WTF2008]

Have we been attacked or threatened with nuclear weapons since we began operating them?

If yes; then no, they're not an effective deterrent.
If no; then yes, they are.

The whole point of trident is a country thinking twice before militarily engaging with us. They would never risk nuclear war and therefore it provides an even greater defence than the military itself some can argue.

They're also relatively cheap and the benefits outweigh the drawbacks by a wide margin, even if they're just lying around for decades.

They're also a strong political tool. Possessing them ensures UK's position as a power on the world stage, a permanent seat in the UN council and a leading member in NATO and its' affairs.

(^ This can be applied to every country possessing them.)

The reason terrorism works is because the threat of violence is stronger than actual violence. The average person here has never seen violence on that scale.
But you can't really retaliate or "rally" the troops/people from a threat can you?

The reason other countries threaten us is because they can't really attack us and probably don't want to other than for revenge on us killing their families.

The amount of people that died on 9/11 is paltry compared to how many we kill in foreign countries in undeclared financial wars every single day.

I'm not a bleeding heart liberal as you can see by my posts. That's just a straight up fact.

 

[WTF2008]

The US has to spend a lot of money on their military to protect countries like Canada which cheap out when it comes to military spending and depend heavily on the USA (and its geographical location) for protection.

Yeah, gotta protect Canada from the invading who?

 

[WTF2008]

If America vanished, something must fill the void, and probably China whose freedom of navigation, trade, and political forces would not be kind to Canada in this hypothetical. Also, whatever "ruled" the space that was the U.S. would probably be more belligerent without the relatively superpower in the neighborhood.

Say Brazil gets more authoritarian leadership, as tends to happen from time to time: "Why not openly loot Bolivia? Did you see what happened to that other country... war is not economically viable either with all this stability..." suddenly, you remove that stability, you remove those military and economic consequences, you remove the guideposts, the fences, and the archon of freedom and liberalization... who will run the neighborhood now? Uh oh...

We are all deeply influenced by power and culture, and there is no escape, just a chance to choose how to live by them.

You sound like a crazy person. But I like your style.

Nothing you said makes sense. China is already filling the "void".

America is busy spending all of it's money on the military while China buys up all of the wests natural resources. Zero shots fired, no land laid waste.

Who wins that war?

 

[NoDak]

The US has to spend a lot of money on their military to protect countries like Canada which cheap out when it comes to military spending and depend heavily on the USA (and its geographical location) for protection.

'Murica will never let nothin happen to ya, Canada may yet implode though.

 

[Videer]

So that the Paladin can finally have the cannon it deserves.

Aww warms my heart!

 

[NoDak]

Because military gadgets are fucking cool

/thread

And that’s why we spend the money. To be terrifying to anyone who wants to try some shit.

That stuff gives me the biggest freedom boner.

#SubsGiveMeChubs

The boomers are the last line of defense, but ultimate death machines and a large part of what the US nuclear deterrent doctrine was founded on. They've got a handful of torpedos for self defense in the event of enemy detection (nah) but have literally one mission: to carry and launch nuclear warheads if and when called upon.

The Trident II SLBM's always take unknowing people by surprise and Lockheed really outdid themselves for downright fucking nastiness there. They're still better than the brand new Russian R29's despite being decades older although the W-88 warheads themselves were designed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory and they're always up to fun stuff.

 

[12ga.]

Commerce, You either play ball with Wall Street or you are fucked.

Sadly 50% of Americans are left out and rich reap most rewards raping world of their resources, labor and independence. But you can buy in - own stock. Something like 20th Century Growth account is good.

 

[NoDak]

They are creepy analogies the reich would agree with.

Damn.

@InternetHero