Defense Budget

I have recently seen that the United States budget for defense is going to either reach or exceed the total of all other such budgets on the planet. Think of that! Apparently we are concerned about invaders from outer space who are going to attack simultaneously by air, ground, and water. Please tell me just which country on earth is poised to attack the United States? Russia? Korea? Iran? Poland? Luxembourg? Perhaps Lichtenstein? Obviously no country on earth would be foolish enough to attack us. The very idea is absurd. We already have enough nuclear bombs and whatever to instantaneously destroy any country who attempted such a thing. So why do we need such a overwhelming deterrent? Obviously we don't. With merely one tenth of what we already possess we could easily defend ourselves and totally destroy anyone who attempted to seriously attack us. But no one is going to attack us in such a way as to require such a massive display of military superiority. In fact, we are spending ourselves into oblivion to keep us safe from guys with backpacks and suitcases and their superweapon, the automobile. This is the absolute heighth of absurdity.

Of course the Pentagon/Military budget has little or nothing to do with our actual defense needs. Ike may have been "gazing down the fairways of indifference," but he certainly predicted the problem and warned us what might happen. And it has happened. We are firmly in the clutches of the Miliary/Industrial complex. All this money that could be spent on improving our infrastructure, schools, health care, social security, etc., is simply being turned over to corporations manufacturing millions of tons of essentially obsolute military hardware and equipment - tanks, humvees, faulty armor, and what have you. While I am certainly no expert on such matters I believe our defense budget could be reduced by 75% and we would continue to be just as safe as we are right now.

Of course there is the argument for an American Empire. We have to maintain a military presence everywhere in the world, especialy if it has anything to do with oil. We must be the policemen of the world. As the only superpower it is our obligation to see to it that everyone conforms to what we desire. But here, again, we will be forever up against those little guys with the suitcases and cars and explosives that will never allow us to bring peace on earth. Oh, vile terrorists, leave us be. Let us control your country and beliefs (as well as your resources) as we see fit. We know best. You are either with us or against us. Apparently, most against us. Heathen towel-headed gooks and ungrateful non-Christians, how can you not see the truth? My country right or wrong. Remember the Alamo. Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes. Praise the lord and pass the ammunition. Impeach the judges. Kill the liberals. Build more bombs. More bombs. More bombs. Oh, yea, napalm, that's even better. Bunker busters. Robot soldiers. Kill. Torture. Burn. Rape. Let's go guys. It's our way or the highway. Makes you right proud to be an Amurican. Let's go nucular.