As the economic powers that be persuade themselves that the deepest economic recession since the Great Depression is coming to an end, I’m hearing more and more fuss about the budget deficit. This is old news, but it bears repeating: According to figures in the U.S. State Department’s World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers report, in 2005, the U.S. spent more on its military than the next 19 countries combined:
Country | Military Expenditures Million dollars |
United States |
503,000
|
China, Mainland |
85,300
|
United Kingdom |
55,900
|
France |
52,900
|
Japan |
43,800
|
Germany |
38,100
|
Italy |
33,500
|
Russia |
31,100
|
Saudi Arabia |
25,400
|
India |
18,800
|
Korea, South |
18,500
|
Brazil |
13,300
|
Canada |
13,200
|
Spain |
13,100
|
Australia |
13,000
|
Israel |
10,800
|
Turkey |
10,300
|
Netherlands |
9,570
|
China Taiwan |
7,830
|
Iran |
7,210
|
President Barack Obama has said he wants to improve the image of the United States around the world. The war in Iraq failed to find weapons of mass destruction and failed to halt ethnic cleansing there. The war in Afghanistan long ago lost sight of a purpose to apprehend Osama bin Laden. And everyone wants to spend their money wisely. Look again at that table. Do any ideas come to mind?