U.S. Accounts for 44% of World’s Military Spending

[The Straight Story]

U.S. Accounts for 44% of World’s Military Spending

Russia and China, still considered major military powers, have nothing on the United States when it comes to comparing these nations’ defense expenditures to that of the entire world. Russian and Chinese appropriations for warfare each represent a little more than 5% of all global military outlays. The U.S.?

More than 44%.

America spends eight times more than Russia and China, 15 times more than Japan, 47 times more than Israel, and nearly 73 times more than Iran, according to The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

Thanks to the war on terrorism, the U.S. has inflated its defense budget from $432 billion in 2001 to $733 billion in fiscal 2011—a jump of almost 70%.

http://www.allgov.com/Where_is_the_Money_Going/ViewNews/US_Accounts_for_44_Percent_of_Worlds_Military_Spending_100601

[shirleym]

1. Just think what we could do with 10% of that money!

How much better off would the entire nation be?

[bigwillq]

6. Hello.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[inna]

9. Welcome to DU, Shirley!

:hi:

[jp11]

2. US response to the budget, "we won't be defeated by any other country in the world", only our own

debt and out of control military spending.

[theophilus]

3. I thought the percentage was quite a bit higher. Still, if true, too high. n/t

[inna]

5. Completely agreed. I thought I remembered seeing higher %, but THIS is bad enough:

ETA: Off-topic, but in light of recent events, I'd like to see where Israel stands on that chart. Any ideas?

[elocs]

11. The list here puts Israel's military budget at #16 in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures

Israel spends $12,135,000,000 or 8.6% of its GDP which is more than twice what we spend GDP-wise.

[inna]

12. We spend only 4% of our GDP on 'defense'??

Those numbers sound way off. 40% is more like it.

Just saying. (Since I don't have links/supporting info right now.)

ETA: yet another reason to be sceptical of Wikipedia.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Why aren't the Teabaggers out there protesting THAT use of their tax money???

If the Military sending were only cut in HALF, everyone''s taxers would be incredibly lower!!!!

We would have funds for virtually every program that could make this a great country to live in...

[Old Troop]

7. Oh, right! Does being number one mean nothing to you people?

[theophilus]

10. I'd rather be "number one" in many other areas where we are NOT. Military

might is nothing. Strength of character, intellectual quality, etc. now those would be nice. We have fallen down many lists. P.S. I hope you were being sarcastic. Our quality of existence can go down the crapper but we'll still have our Nukes by God!

[Admiral Loinpresser]

8. And 0% of world leadership. n/t

n/t

[unkachuck]

13. "U.S. Accounts for 44% of World’s Military Spending"

....and we're 6% of the worlds' population? I guess that makes us the most militaristic corporate war-mongers on the planet, irrationally wasting our futures away....

"Russian and Chinese appropriations for warfare each represent a little more than 5%..."

....when Washingtons' worthless piles of elected scum reduce that 44% down to a righteous 6%, only then should they talk to us about entitlement spending and deficit reduction....until then, they can take a long hard toke on my short dick....

[L0oniX]

14. Mean while Russia spends 50 billion this year. Why do we put up with this?

Why do we allow our government to steal from our poor and give to the military? There is nothing good about this mutha fucking country. Freedom is something you pay for which makes it not free. The sooner this fucked up country goes bankrupt the better and the sooner we can set a better course for the future. An addict has to hit the bottom before they will consider rehab. The fucking so called war on terror is nothing but disaster economics for the damned MIC.

[Fool Count]

15. That's still less than 50%, meaning that the rest of the World could

band together and kick US' ass. That is unacceptable, having to rely on stupid alliances and stuff. What kind of dominance is that?
Onward to 50%! Until then US the Homeland is not safe.