this should scare the jeebus out of us all...

[kpete]

THE ten biggest defence budgets for 2010 add up to a total of more than $1.1 trillion, according to the latest Military Balance report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a think-tank. The defence budget of America alone, at $693 billion, accounts for more than 60% of the total. But when defence spending is compared to the overall size of each country's economy, Saudi Arabia tops the list. It spends over 10% of GDP on defence, more than double the proportion spent by America. China ranks second in the world's biggest defence budgets (spending some $76 billion) and also boasts the largest armed forces. Only America, India, Russia and North Korea (not shown) have more than 1m military personnel. Defence budgets have grown since 2005, but the balance of military power may be shifting. Western countries, many of which are engaged in Afghanistan, now face budget constrains and cuts, whilst emerging economies, such as Brazil and China, have increased military spending in line with economic growth.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/03/defence_budgets?page=2

.....................




The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has a new report out highlighting global military expenditures. As the above chart indicates, the U.S. retains a healthy lead.

http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/milex/factsheet2010


TOO MUCH

[provis99]

1. why the hell does Brazil even have an army?

When was the last time they were in a life or death war for existence? And why do they have a navy?

Is it just a dick swinging contest with Argentina?

[Liberal Veteran]

5. Duh. Do you want to go to the store and ask for "Argentina Nuts"?

[MadHound]

2. You need to double that "official" spending number for the US military

US military spending is roughly 1.2 trillion annually. That is because many military activities are hidden within the budgets of other agencies. For instance, the money spent on upkeep, security and upgrading our nuclear warhead fleet is clearly a military expenditure. But it comes under the auspices of the Atomic Energy Commission, thus helping to disguise what we truly spend on the military. This is repeated time and again. And let's not even get into the CIA budget, and secret military spending. Black box budgets on who knows what, and nobody knows exactly how much.

[mmonk]

3. Yep. That's around the figure I saw.

[hootinholler]

6. And then there's the 2 Trillion Rumsfeld fess'd up to losing. n/t

[rhett o rick]

4. Not our top worry. Our corporate overlords will have us paupers in a few years. nm

[quaker bill]

7. We are still #1

and this does not even include the "black" off-budget stuff like NSA, CIA, and too many more to mention. Add them in and we will claim our usual 50%+ of global defense spending. Should other countries spending more concern me? Perhaps, but they tend to shop here, and until we learn to make something else the world actually wants.....