This all works on the assumption the US armed forces exist to defend the US and allies. They don't.
Partly they're a jobs program both for "jarheads" and engineers and scientists. Partly they're for bullying small nations that happen to get into political cross hairs (Iraqx2, Afghanistan, Iran soon). Partly they are an export industry that let's the US maintain trade balances with places like Saudi Arabia (and effectively charge them for protecting their regimes).
That's why the US even has aircraft carriers: they've been useless against China or Russia for decades. But they create jobs and let you bomb nations with no real defenses.
No one wants to give up 28bn from their part of the
Knot of self service or risk 50 more casualties the next time we invade Iraq. So we keep prepping for that war.
You have a decent point, but IMHO you're overstating it. The US armed forces exist for all the reasons you state...AND they also exist to defend the US and allies. Life is complicated.
Comments
This all works on the assumption the US armed forces exist to defend the US and allies. They don't.
Partly they're a jobs program both for "jarheads" and engineers and scientists. Partly they're for bullying small nations that happen to get into political cross hairs (Iraqx2, Afghanistan, Iran soon). Partly they are an export industry that let's the US maintain trade balances with places like Saudi Arabia (and effectively charge them for protecting their regimes).
That's why the US even has aircraft carriers: they've been useless against China or Russia for decades. But they create jobs and let you bomb nations with no real defenses.
No one wants to give up 28bn from their part of the Knot of self service or risk 50 more casualties the next time we invade Iraq. So we keep prepping for that war.
You have a decent point, but IMHO you're overstating it. The US armed forces exist for all the reasons you state...AND they also exist to defend the US and allies. Life is complicated.
Thanks for the reply.
I guess this comes back to the age old question about such wars: how would anyone fight one and not have it turn nuclear?