U.S. military spending continues to grow

[Hannah Bell]

NEW YORK, May 28, 2010 (IPS) - The United States continues to lead the world in defence spending, according to a new report released Thursday by the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, a U.S.-based non-partisan research organisation.

In fact, the U.S outspends Russia, the next highest spender, by more than 800 percent. In 2008, the most recent year for which figures are available, the U.S. expenditure was 696.3 billion dollars (2008 social security outlay was $625.2 billion, for reference -- that includes all payments to retired & dependents + social security disability) followed by Russia's 86 billion and China's 83.5 billion.

Not only does U.S. spending dwarf that of other nations, but it has also grown in recent years. The budget for fiscal year 2011 is 720 billion dollars, up 67 percent from 2001's 432 billion, accounting for inflation.

http://socialistworker.org/blog/critical-reading/2010/05/29/us-military-spending-continues

[Scuba]

1. More submarines! More aircraft carriers! Fewer teachers!

[unhappycamper]

2. This is why cities and towns are going broke, why our roads are in terrible condition,

why there's a commission to 'redo' Social Security, why our bridges are falling down, why teachers are being fired, why social services are closing up and why police and fire persons are being laid off.

This is also why our space program is put on hold, why school loans have been privatized, why charter schools are on the uprise and why unemployment benefits were not added in the last $60 billion dollar 'Emergency Supplemental'.

War is good for 'bidness'. Not people.

[Lasher]

3. Exactly right.

We could afford things like real universal health care, but we're spending our money on the military.

[Hannah Bell]

4. kik

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. America'a most sacred of Sacred Cows grows fatter and more useless. K&R

[TampaAnimus2010]

6. Lets start by at least reducing military spending to...

equal the next 2 countries military budgets combined instead of like the next 13 countries? That might be a good start.