[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

I believe you missed the facts I stated. Yes, Defense spending has gone up--those are the facts. However, that money is NOT buying weapons and increasing our military readiness or superiority. That money os going toward logistics, troop movements, pay increases, admin and other non-weapon accounts. An increase in Defense spending DOES NOT necessarily mean in increase in military preparedness. We have closed bases, we have scaled back procurement numbers on major weapon platforms and we have eliminated totally other weapon platforms--all this while the DOD budget has gone up. Why? Again, the money is going toward payroll and admin, NOT additional manpower and hardware.

We have indeed gotten weaker militarily under Bush versus our potential enemies, even though total DOD spending has gone up. The Ruskies and Chicoms are not spending on this "human resources" crap. They are spending their money on late generation startegic and tactical weaponry.

[superiorslots]

Quote: The Ruskies and Chicoms are not spending on this "human resources" crap. They are spending their money on late generation startegic and tactical weaponry.

Yep..and china is not currently fighting a wot nor has bases in korea, japan, germany, kosovo, middle east etc and is not being the worlds policeman.

They can spend their whole defense budget(for the most part) on new equipment and innventions. Just think what we could have if we did not have worldwide bases everywhere.

[Alberta's Child]

The whole point of scaling back on those military expenditures was: 1) we don't (and never did) need all of those military bases, and 2) we don't need all of those various weapons systems.

I agree that our military preparedness is worse today than it was 15 years ago, but the decline in military bases and weapons systems is not an accurate indicator of this.

[ninenot]

And now rumor is that the P'gon want to scrap the F-22

[phil_will1]

"An increase in Defense spending DOES NOT necessarily mean in increase in military preparedness. We have closed bases...."

Are you implying that base closings represent a decrease in military preparedness?

"Again, the money is going toward payroll and admin, NOT additional manpower and hardware."

I don't understand the distinction that you are making between payroll and manpower costs.