David Sirota: The Imperial Defense of Pentagon Bloat

[marmar]

from truthdig:



The Imperial Defense of Pentagon Bloat
Posted on Oct 14, 2010

By David Sirota


Beware the sophistry of budget talking points—especially those seeking to deter any criticism of defense spending.

That’s the lesson of these last few weeks, as Establishment Republicans desperately try to thwart both progressives and tea party conservatives who are pressuring Congress to reduce Pentagon bloat.

The latest talking point du jour has been around in one form or another for years. It asks us to forget that (A) America spends more on defense than all other major nations combined and (B) the Pentagon, whose annual budget is now approaching World War II levels in inflation-adjusted terms, has lost track of trillions of taxpayer dollars. In light of those troubling truths, we are nonetheless urged by Beltway Republicans to focus on the fact that defense spending is “4.9 percent of our gross domestic product, significantly below the average of 6.5 percent since World War II,” as a recent Wall Street Journal editorial proclaimed.

That widely circulated article, aimed squarely at grassroots conservatives, was jointly written by three of the most influential Republican think tanks in Washington—the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute and the Foreign Policy Initiative. And like clockwork, the “percentage of GDP” nugget went from their pen to the GOP’s well-oiled media machine. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_imperial_defense_of_pentagon_bloat_20101014/

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[FlyByNight]

2. The Pentagon budget isn't for "defense"

It's force projection, pure and simple. It's very narrowly targeted economic stimulus which is unsustainable and destabilizing for the rest of the globe.

Welcome to the new Rome: the Atlantic and Pacific have essentially become American lakes.

Dismantle the empire.

:rant:

[underpants]

7. I actually searched this week to find out what % of DoD budget is for payroll

I looked for both budget and spending (which are usually different) but found nothing.

I am curious as to how much of the spending "for our brave fighting men and women" is actually FOR the brave fighting men and women. I suspect it is far below the normal personnel expenses for most industries.

[liam_laddie]

3. Big K&R! n/t

[classysassy]

4. Defense,who are we defending?

The congressional criminals,the military brass are all in bed with the arms merchants,they lookout for the dealers in death but deny proper health care for the needy.

[L0oniX]

5. Our use of oil is what this is all about. Our national defense is dependant on oil.

Their struggle is to keep from telling that truth. That truth might be something like this: "Our military needs energy to work. The energy comes from oil (solar and wind can't power jets and aircraft carriers). We must protect our oil sources no matter what country has that oil. You all depend on oil for almost every aspect of your american life style. With out it or "enough" of it the country will fail to sustain its people. People will die of starvation. It's us or them so shut up about what we do with the military."

[underpants]

6. Okay so healthcare was sacred because it is "16% of the GDP"....

and the DoD is also sacred because it is 5% of GDP

but no one asks "WHY ON EARTH are these two things 20% of the GDP?!?!?" I guess we aren't supposed to think about it that way.... so we don't