Nato members increase defence spending by $100 Billion'

a reply to: TzarChasm

Because we spend more than that.
The money should come from the countries who are in NATO, ie their own money.

The US spent $686 billion on defense last year — here's how the other NATO countries stack up

Defence Expenditures of NATO Countries (1985-2008)

The U.S. wants its allies to spend more on defense. Here's how much they're ...
Washington Post › news › 2014/03/26
Mar 26, 2014 · According to NATO's 2013 annual report, Washington was paying ... defense expenditures, up from 68 percent in 2007.

originally posted by: sapien82
we have 4.1 million children living in poverty in the UK since 2018 , the UK government should hang its head in shame !

spending an extra 100 billion on weapons that will never be used !

Never assume *all* the funding will be spent on actual defense--or other government program at issue.

I'll be quite happily surprised if half of the total is spent on direct costs for defense. It's not outside the realm of possibility that up to 30% of the funding will be wasted as "tax" (fees charged by government agencies and defense contractors strictly for the pleasure of doing business with/through them), as well as outright diversion of funding into personal bank accounts.

The taxing of congressionally-appropriated program funding is common practice in the US, and it is legalized crime. It fleeces taxpayers and is a huge drain on public funds.

I worked in federal contracting for years and saw this on a daily basis. It is disgusting, and not something that can be stopped by one or more individuals. It is part of how the political machine runs, and is included in the law (Federal Acquisition Regulations, or FAR).

US congresspersons are heavily invested in the industries for which they enact legislation--and they are keen on protecting their own financial interests. It is a disease that is epidemic on both sides of the aisle.

I know this applies to the political processes of NATO allies as well.

a reply to: Flavian

I was wondering. Thought we were saying the same thing. Drrrr.

Hopefully it's not a USD sponsered billion....


NATO is useless. Always has been. Always will be.

originally posted by: ADVISOR
a reply to: TzarChasm

Because we spend more than that.
The money should come from the countries who are in NATO, ie their own money.

The US spent $686 billion on defense last year — here's how the other NATO countries stack up

Defence Expenditures of NATO Countries (1985-2008)

The U.S. wants its allies to spend more on defense. Here's how much they're ...
Washington Post › news › 2014/03/26
Mar 26, 2014 · According to NATO's 2013 annual report, Washington was paying ... defense expenditures, up from 68 percent in 2007.

I feel like that doesn't really answer the why of the topic.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Ok, how about this way then.

How much of our NATO expenses are other Nations covering ie paying for, compared to how much of their expenses we are covering.

In an alliance between you and me a Dupree, how much does Dupree and me pay of what you're obligated to pay for yourself?

Or, if you and Dupree are paying for me, would you not want me to pay my own expenses? Especially if I'm financially able...

At what point are those involved, responsible for upholding their end of a bargain.

Why be in an alliance that doesn't benefit us, especially since we are footing the bill for them.

They don't need to spend because we are?
Why, because they can call on us to fight their battles, so they don't have to? Why do we even help others when we are just going to be accused of occupation, when we were invited often pleaded to for our help.

In which world is that fair? Given the mutual understanding of the universal accepted term of fair.

The North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.

That agreed upon treaty, was essential, to those who wanted to survive a World War. Context is very important when considering the situation and circumstances.

Nations need allies they can depend upon, both militarily and financially. If we are obligated to come to our allies defense, they too are obligated to do so for ours.

We are militarily capable, as decades of conflict and war proves. We are upholding our end of the bargain, and it's time others do to, as agreed upon.

These are the terms all NATO allies are supposed to follow, but are they?

Even before President Trump, this was an issue being raised.

NATO needs to pay its bills

Only 5 of 28 allies pay up

Because they said they would, bit didn't is that a good enough reason?

originally posted by: ADVISOR
a reply to: TzarChasm

Because we spend more than that.
The money should come from the countries who are in NATO, ie their own money.

The US spent $686 billion on defense last year — here's how the other NATO countries stack up

Defence Expenditures of NATO Countries (1985-2008)

The U.S. wants its allies to spend more on defense. Here's how much they're ...
Washington Post › news › 2014/03/26
Mar 26, 2014 · According to NATO's 2013 annual report, Washington was paying ... defense expenditures, up from 68 percent in 2007.

Isnt it sickening that the 606 billion spent could feed clothe and educate every man woman and child on this planet !
and thats just from Americas budget, so remind me why we are where we are ?
Why is there so much poverty , why so much war if there is so much wealth being wasted on things we will never use !

a reply to: TzarChasm

Is the Answer Simply because Russia and China are ramping up their defense systems
and the US is freaking out and trying to play catch up ?

US still got red fever !

a reply to: sapien82

You ever read history? Lets assume we canned the military. How long before you think Russia or China would attack? I give it 6 months. Its a naive view of the world at large.

a reply to: lakenheath24

of course , but anyone with a brain can see that increase in military spending will eventually deplete the Earth of all resources !

including all life

its a fools game , and we need a new approach , away from fear and away from death and destruction , this model only serves the small few , while the rest of our species suffers

its #in insanity that people are just ok with it !
and actively take part in it , its just one group saying its ok to murder another, the military all over the world is simply pre-meditated murder, how is it ok for the military to kill without question simply because one nation holds a different set of moral values over another !
If a civilian decided they didnt like the views of a person in Syria , went there and killed them its murder, yet its totally ok for the military because its legal when at war!
it's still murder, no matter how you look at it!

All we have done is switch your version of god , with Democracy and Freedom , but whose democracy and whose freedom!

Its a big lie , always has been , out there killing to secure power for a small few !

its bull# and it needs to end , its not a naive view of the world .

there is no end scenario where one team wins and everyone is happy! , its a perpetual cycle of hate , fear and death !

If I were a genius Id invent a machine which disables all ICBM globally and nano machines that turn all arms and ordnance into mush !

All forms of military would be banned , and the money spent on it globally would go into a pot to fix the planet and feed and educate us , then we can get on with advancing ourselves, not fearing each other and the boogeyman in another country whose ideals are different !

what is it they say, its takes a bigger man to walk away from a fight

think of the possibilities if we directed that level of money globally into science and research , for the benefit of mankind, rather than thinking of over more elaborate ways to kill each other quickly and "humanely" hahahahahah

where might we be as a species if we did that instead ?

Id be damn sure we'd all be living in the solar system on various planets by now , if only we'd used that wealth and resource for life not death !

a reply to: ADVISOR

It's funny that the USA's defence budget is more than the next seven countries on the ranking list combined. In reality that excessive budget is not for defence but used to maintain America's global hegemony.
Perhaps all the millions killed in the Middle East, courtesy of America's largesse and willingness to drop expensive bombs on them would have died gladly knowing that their deaths have contributed to the USA's defence.

In the old days of empire, conquering and occupying nations would build forts and castles, nowadays we call them bases. Just a glance at the amount of bases the US has around the globe tells us all we need to know about the real reason for such military spending. Such a budget of course requires justification or the people might reject it, so we have the constant war drumming and fear ratcheting from the powers that be.
There might never be peace in the world regardless but with the US as the dominant world power we are in a state of perpetual war with no end in sight.
America, the land of the gun, and by extension the bomb.

a reply to: midicon

yes Americas military defense budget in one fiscal year, can feed clothe and educate every man woman and child globally for ten generations
and thats just america alone !

that surely is enough to make us say enough is enough !

but naw , we continue on marching towards our death as a species

lets face , after you spend maybe an hour looking at all the facts, wars are engineered to secure power for a small few, whilst generating vast wealth and at the same time , hitting the working class and those who suffer in poverty hard!

wars are a means to generate and secure vast wealth for a small few, and we suckers fall for it , because of patriotism
through nationalism !
Through division , across religious , political , moral and nationalist ideals !

it's a big lie , and anyone who supports it is deluded , you have been fooled into believing that the enemy is in another country waiting , plotting to kill you and end your way of life !

who wins in the end , not the soldier, the lieutenant , the captain the general , no its the politician who planned it with their CEO buddies !

you are being lied to and being brain washed to believe that its ok to murder another human for your way of life