The U.S. is well known for its immense military and defense spending. In 2020, the nation ranked #1 in the world in terms of military spending at $778 billion outpacing the next nine highest spenders, which came out to $703.6 billion combined.
As Visual Capitalist's Avery Koop notes, one factor is the military–industrial complex (MIC) which feeds into the U.S.’ defense dominance, with a longstanding tradition of the defense and weapons industries working closely with the U.S. government and armed forces.
A Breakdown of U.S. Military Spending
So what are these billions being spent on?
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) laid out the spending plan when they made their 2020 budget proposal. It included a few main areas to invest in, including:
Air – $57.7 billion
Maritime – $34.7 billion
Ground systems – $14.6 billion
Space – $14.1 billion
Cyber – $6.9 billion
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The overall goal of the 2020 budget was to promote innovation and to strengthen competitive advantages to increase the military’s ‘readiness’ factor. Additionally, in an effort to sustain forces, a military pay raise of 3.1% was included. Military Maintenance
Surprisingly, however, the U.S. actually does not have the largest military in the world in terms of personnel, and some of the other top 10 countries have larger or similarly sized militaries spread across different branches.
Russia is only the fourth highest spender, but they have the largest military size of any of the top 10, at around 5.9 million personnel.
All of these countries have militaries that number in the hundreds of thousands to millions, and many are a part of treaties and alliances that require them to upkeep their armies and weaponry — but none spend half as much as the U.S.
To this day, the U.S. is actively involved in a number of overseas conflicts and maintains a large military force with millions of personnel. Spending on areas such as weaponry and wages is significant in order to maintain jobs, as well as national defense.
Poster Comment:
See Chart. Iran spends so little at $1.215 billion that they are not on the chart. US spends $2.32 billion per day. The US spends in 13 hours more than Iran spends all year. Yet they have faster missiles at Mach 14 than we do. And they have a far superior S-300 anti-missile system. Iran has 610,000 active duty and 350,000 reserves. >P> However, the US leads the world in the number of transgenders serving. If you don't believe me, ask Putin.
#1: Cynicom To: Horse, Lod, Esso, BTP Holdings (#0)
There was but twenty years between WWI and WW2. In 1939 two of the worlds smallest and poorest countries took on the world and untold millions died as a result. Countries were devastated, but hat is acceptable, as long as no one maintains a standing world military.
I was dragged off to war against my will, no shoes, no uniforms, slept in the fields, meals missed but that was okay, just as long as we did not WASTE any money being prepared.
Cynicom posted on 2021-08-08 07:15:04 Reply Private Reply
#2: Darkwing To: Horse (#0)
Darkwing posted on 2021-08-08 07:18:52 Reply Private Reply
#3: Cynicom To: Darkwing (#2)
Draft the homeless, give them a home, a job and earn their pay.
Solve two problems at once. Excellent idea, off the streets, off the dole and become useful citizens.
Cynicom posted on 2021-08-08 07:35:41 Reply Private Reply
#4: Esso To: Cynicom, 4um (#3)
Might as well. I don't think Bidet could screw up the MIC any worse at this point.
Esso posted on 2021-08-08 12:06:22 Reply Private Reply
#5: randge To: Cynicom (#3)
That is exactly what Adolf Hitler and his boys did.
Otherwise idle hands were put to work building infrastructure and were later employed at other tasks.
Problem is that you have to ride roughshod over a few article in the Constitution & Bill of Rights.
It's your choice. Win or lose.
randge posted on 2021-08-08 12:11:37 Reply Private Reply
#6: Esso To: randge (#5)
Bidet's already doing that. Nobody's trying to stop him.
Esso posted on 2021-08-08 12:26:15 Reply Private Reply
#7: Lod To: randge (#5)
The problem(s) will soon enough be resolved.
Lod posted on 2021-08-08 12:49:34 Reply Private Reply
#8: BTP Holdings To: Cynicom (#3)
That is what FDR did with the Works Progress Administration.
Some of that old WPA concrete was tough as nails when we had to break it out. ;)
BTP Holdings posted on 2021-08-08 12:58:45 Reply Private Reply
#9: Cynicom To: randge (#5)
After WWII I acquired several German immigrant friends.
They were there prior and during Hitler. Their choice was Jew Communism or Hitlers version of the same ideology.
Fascism was formed by a Communist friend of Lenin, named Mussolini. Hitler fathered and formed Nazism from Fascism.
Few people realize all three had a common Father, Karl Marx.
Now Americans are taking the yoke voluntarily.
Cynicom posted on 2021-08-08 13:07:09 Reply Private Reply
#10: BTP Holdings To: Lod (#7)
Who will determine exactly who is "able bodied"?
When I worked for the Illinois State Highways, the State wanted me to see their doctor for another opinion.
I had been getting chiropractic treatments for my back injuries.
The State doctor poked at my neck and said, "You don't need no more treatments. Take hot showers."
As soon as I walked out into the cold air I had a muscle spasm.
My lawyer said, "That guy wouldn't know a muscle spasm if it happened right in front of him." LOL
BTP Holdings posted on 2021-08-08 13:18:53 Reply Private Reply
#11: Lod To: BTP Holdings (#10)
Most here are tired of funding these douche-bags all of our working lives.
Lod posted on 2021-08-08 14:46:47 Reply Private Reply
#12: randge To: Esso, Cynicom, Lod, BTP Holdings (#6)
Granted.
Our gov't has been chewing away at our sovereign law for a damn long time.
They haven't quite gotten around to organizing a Labor Service on the order of the Third Reich regime.
It was something like Roosevelt's WPA, but it was a lot less voluntary. There is a qualitative difference - if you get my drift.
Not sayin' we won't get there. It is a matter of making the military draft civil. It will be a breathtaker when it happens.
randge posted on 2021-08-08 18:56:36 Reply Private Reply
#13: randge To: Cynicom (#9)
Few people realize what a filthy, abusive figure this man was. He was a genuine rotter.
There's hypocrisy in it like seeing a black kid in a Che t-shirt.
If black folks knew what Che said or thought about them, they'd toss a rag like that into the flames.
randge posted on 2021-08-08 19:01:29 Reply Private Reply
#14: Lod To: randge (#13)
And the exact same thing applies to Lincoln.
Lod posted on 2021-08-08 21:47:25 Reply Private Reply
#15: randge To: Lod (#14)
You're certainly right about that.
They can build a monument to a man that will stand for a long, long time.
It's not hard though to ignore many of the man's words as the decades pass into centuries.
The Republicans brought the first black congressmen to Washington. What will people remember?
randge posted on 2021-08-09 10:04:33 Reply Private Reply