1. You haven't factored in inflation.
2. You haven't factored in the high cost of sophisticated specialized weapons, and weapons systems.
3. You haven't factored in retirees living longer and costing more in health care and retirement pay.
4. You haven't factored in the rising cost of health care.
5. You haven't factored in the difficulties in enlistment and retention.
Here is the problem with your way of thinking rich. Would you rather save the billion dollars and cost lives on the battlefield? Would you rather save the money and risk America's freedom?
Let's take a typical scenario. One bullet proof Kevlar jacket costs two hundred dollars but is the best in the world. One cost one hundred dollars but is adequate for most weapons hits. Which do you buy? Do you save the hundred dollars and possibly kill one of our soldiers on the battle-field? Or do you pay the extra money and purchase the best?
That scenario is played out over and over in the military.
That same scenario is also played out in regard to training. How many bullets does it cost to create a great marksman? How much gas does it cost to train a Helicopter Pilot, a Tank Driver, a Missile operator, a Green Beret, an OOD of an Aircraft Carrier, and a Captain to manage it all?
The more training, the better you get. The more training, the more lives you save. The more training, the better equipped we are as a nation to protect ourselves.
Training cost money. How much are you willing to cut back in order to save money?
Our main advantage in military readiness is our people and our high tech weapons. Our people need to be trained, taken care of with decent pay, and given a fair standard of living while they serve. Some liberals here have said words to this effect "how can we expect an airline screener to do a decent job of screening packages if we pay them 8.00 bucks an hour"? Well, guess what rich, we have people serving right now in Afghanistan, putting their life on the line earning less than that.
Our civilian workforce, which develops, maintains and improves our weapons systems must be kept in-tack. This takes money, and lots of it. Many are specialist, who are not easily replaced. Many of our weapons systems are developed soley by American companies, for the United States Military. Costs are high to protect the secrets of these weapons, and to keep them out of foreign hands. Our weapons systems, down to the kind of helmet we develop, should be the best in the world.
When the sons and daughters of America serve, their parents want them to have the best, be as safe as possible, and come home from conflicts alive. We value each life far more then communist China, or any other nation which harbors ill will toward America and its allies. These things cost money. Saving lives costs money.
We are the worlds superpower. We hold the mantle of civilization on our soldiers. Democracy, freedom, free markets and the rule of law will flourish if the world KNOWS America has the ability to defend itself. And that it will come to the aid of our allies in trouble.
No rich. If we need to cut the budget, there are PLENTY of other areas in government to cut before reaching for the knee-jerk liberal cant phrase "cut the military". |
