Comments on: The Good Old Days: The military budget is out of control http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2008/04/the-good-old-days-the-military-budget-is-out-of-control.php Comments and analyses of important national and international security issues Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:37:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Marc http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2008/04/the-good-old-days-the-military-budget-is-out-of-control.php/comment-page-1#comment-2821 Marc Sat, 03 May 2008 14:47:10 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/?p=235#comment-2821 Interesting that you quoted Ike's final speech, people forget that he really stated two things in that speech. Yes, he stated we [ USA ] needed a military-industrial complex because we need it but we have to make sure it doesn't get too much power. But he also stated, which people [ scientists ] always forget. We need scientific and technoligical elite, but because we need this, we have to be aware of it gaining too much power. Interesting that you quoted Ike’s final speech, people forget that he really stated two things in that speech. Yes, he stated we [ USA ] needed a military-industrial complex because we need it but we have to make sure it doesn’t get too much power. But he also stated, which people [ scientists ] always forget.
We need scientific and technoligical elite, but because we need this, we have to be aware of it gaining too much power.

]]> By: Anoop Atre http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2008/04/the-good-old-days-the-military-budget-is-out-of-control.php/comment-page-1#comment-2799 Anoop Atre Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:34:38 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/?p=235#comment-2799 Ivan, I know I'm a bit late commenting on this but FIRST let me thank all the scientists who contribute to this blog, I've been a loyal follower for many moons now!!! Also I should thank YOU for your previous post and yes threatening rational thoughts (i.e. rational thought itself being threatening) bring out comments faster than democrats signing off on the next $135 billion! I have not commented before because I don't think have much to say : ) My only comment on this entry would be to recommend a documentary, which I'm sure readers of this blog are already familiar with, "Why We Fight" [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Fight_(2005_film) ] an excellent look at the history of the military industrial complex in the U.S. It is making news again for some reason and I for one think it should be screened in every educational institution and often! If anyone is interested in reading the whole of Eisenhower's Farewell Address which the documentary starts with: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ike.htm Ivan, I know I’m a bit late commenting on this but FIRST let me thank all the scientists who contribute to this blog, I’ve been a loyal follower for many moons now!!!

Also I should thank YOU for your previous post and yes threatening rational thoughts (i.e. rational thought itself being threatening) bring out comments faster than democrats signing off on the next $135 billion! I have not commented before because I don’t think have much to say : )

My only comment on this entry would be to recommend a documentary, which I’m sure readers of this blog are already familiar with, “Why We Fight” [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Fight_(2005_film) ] an excellent look at the history of the military industrial complex in the U.S. It is making news again for some reason and I for one think it should be screened in every educational institution and often!

If anyone is interested in reading the whole of Eisenhower’s Farewell Address which the documentary starts with: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ike.htm

]]> By: Marc http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2008/04/the-good-old-days-the-military-budget-is-out-of-control.php/comment-page-1#comment-2762 Marc Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:18:24 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/?p=235#comment-2762 Yet, without a threat to tie our military capabilities to, not only are we unable to realistically calculate what forces and weapons we need, we also have no useful measures of military capability. So we need a surrogate measure and that surrogate is money. _______________________________________ Somewhere someplace, Edward Teller is rolling over in his grave trying to get out and wishing he could be a part of this bonanza. Yet, without a threat to tie our military capabilities to, not only are we unable to realistically calculate what forces and weapons we need, we also have no useful measures of military capability. So we need a surrogate measure and that surrogate is money.
_______________________________________

Somewhere someplace, Edward Teller is rolling over in his grave trying to get out and wishing he could be a part of this bonanza.

]]> By: Jian Feng http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2008/04/the-good-old-days-the-military-budget-is-out-of-control.php/comment-page-1#comment-2752 Jian Feng Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:44:00 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/?p=235#comment-2752 Well, the solace is that you are by no means a lone voice. Chalmers Johnson actually wrote a trilogy with the last book entitled "Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic". There are many other sage voices, but to no avail. One pessimistic interpretation is that we are on autopilot according to Professor Johnson’s scenario, sans the coup d'état. When “support the troops” becomes as a unison as “In God We Trust” and the Congress is sleeping, our generals do not need to resort to that kind of thing. In the Romanesque Congressional hearing of General Petraeus, a democratic senator demanded that the SOFA (Status of Force Agreement) made in Iraq be really comfy. It better be, with crude oil selling at triple digits. She apparently does not or care to know that the receiving end of SOFA is the Sorrows of the Empire. An optimistic interpretation is that this is all Keynesian economics. Since anything that gets the money spent would be fine, we might as well do a little empire building, which may generate some benefits, despite the blowbacks. With 6% of GDP on trade deficit and 4% of GDP on the military, we still have 90% of GDP to pacify the mass through tittitainment that Zbigniew Brzezinski has prescribed for the nation. Well, the solace is that you are by no means a lone voice. Chalmers Johnson actually wrote a trilogy with the last book entitled “Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic”. There are many other sage voices, but to no avail.

One pessimistic interpretation is that we are on autopilot according to Professor Johnson’s scenario, sans the coup d’état. When “support the troops” becomes as a unison as “In God We Trust” and the Congress is sleeping, our generals do not need to resort to that kind of thing. In the Romanesque Congressional hearing of General Petraeus, a democratic senator demanded that the SOFA (Status of Force Agreement) made in Iraq be really comfy. It better be, with crude oil selling at triple digits. She apparently does not or care to know that the receiving end of SOFA is the Sorrows of the Empire.

An optimistic interpretation is that this is all Keynesian economics. Since anything that gets the money spent would be fine, we might as well do a little empire building, which may generate some benefits, despite the blowbacks. With 6% of GDP on trade deficit and 4% of GDP on the military, we still have 90% of GDP to pacify the mass through tittitainment that Zbigniew Brzezinski has prescribed for the nation.

]]> By: Adrian Martin http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2008/04/the-good-old-days-the-military-budget-is-out-of-control.php/comment-page-1#comment-2739 Adrian Martin Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:44:09 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/?p=235#comment-2739 Hello Professor, this seems strangely familiar... perhaps you published this to make sure none of us would steal your idea!? There is also the question of what happens after OIF and OEF are done. Does spending go down to 1990s levels, or do we keep a permanent counterinsurgency capability in order to make the world over in our image? You might be interested in this article: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/andrew_exum/2008/04/misplaced_military_priorities.html Hello Professor, this seems strangely familiar… perhaps you published this to make sure none of us would steal your idea!?

There is also the question of what happens after OIF and OEF are done. Does spending go down to 1990s levels, or do we keep a permanent counterinsurgency capability in order to make the world over in our image? You might be interested in this article:
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/andrew_exum/2008/04/misplaced_military_priorities.html

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