House Panel Authorizes Nearly $700 Billion in Defense Spending

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/05/12-2

Published on Thursday, May 12, 2011 by The Hill (Washington, DC)

House Panel Authorizes Nearly $700 Billion in Defense Spending

by John T. Bennett

The House Armed Services Committee early Thursday approved a spending measure that clears the Pentagon and Energy Department to spend nearly $700 billion next fiscal year.

The panel approved a baseline Pentagon spending level of $553 billion, matching the Obama administration's request. It also authorized the Energy Department to spend $18 billion on nuclear weapons projects, and cleared the military to spend $118 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The $690 billion defense authorization measure is expected to hit the House floor the week of May 23, according to aides.

The marathon markup began Wednesday morning and stretched into the early morning hours of Thursday.

As one day became another, the committee approved an amendment aimed at delaying a repeal of the ban on openly gay military service members. Democrats threw out the so-called “Don't ask, don't tell” policy last year during a lame-duck legislative session, against the wishes of most Republicans.

..more..

[daa]

1. So let me see if I understand this

The government takes in a little over $2 Trillion and ONE THIRD is for bombs and missiles and lockheed and raytheon??????? WTF Congratulations deficit hawks. The next twenty countries in the world combined don't spend that much.

Deficit my ass.

[G_j]

3. well put nt

[NutmegYankee]

4. A lot of that money is for people.

Wages and health care are a large chunk. Another large chunk is maintenance to machinery, vehicles, and buildings. The next 20 countries also don't have anywhere near the armed force size that we do.

Not that we should be dropping so much, but it's a little simplistic to think it's all spent on bombs.

[Octafish]

5. Add in the interest we pay each year on the national debt...

...about $431 billion...and pretty soon, we got ourselves a problem.

Of course, it's not the corporation and their rich owners' problem.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. "Defense" is the most sacred of America's Sacred Cows. Untouchable and idololized.