why do we need to spend so much on defence?

Question

why do we spend so much on defence .
I live in the UK but I suppose the same question could be asked in the US.
As far as I know nobody is threatening the UK except a few fundamental muslims and even these would not threaten us if we didnt interfere with other countries .
I dont understand why our polititions think that we have the right to tell other countries how they should conduct their affairs just because we dont like the way they do it.
there was an excuse in 1939 because the nazis were going for world domination but since then no country except America has had the power or the inclination .
At the moment we are in , Iraq , Afganistan, some places in easten europe , Africa , and of course there is the abomination in guantanamo .
Did our interference in Iraq lead to the birth of Bin ladens gang and how are we different to Russia in our treatment of Afganistan .
If a muslim country wants to govern the country in a muslim way what business is it of ours .
Viet Nam again??

Answer 1

Security of the state is a prime importance for its survival. Thus, the budget for defense had a great portion of the national treasury for protection from external and internal threats.

Answer 2

In 2004, the US and her Allies spent 664 Billion dollars in Military spending. Of this 401 billion was spent by the US. This figure does not include the money spent on either the Iraq or Afghan wars.

The Axis of Evil, now only North Korea and Iran because Iraq is effectively under US control, had a combined military budget of 7 billion in 2004.

In comparison to the united states military spending of 401 billion, the US spent 10 billion on foreign aid.

So much is spent on defense because there is a perceived (and real) threat out there to the free world. So much is spent because humans have a treat the symptom rather than prevent the disease mentality. People will spend lots of money on heart surgery, but won't spend the extra cash to chose healthy foods that could have prevented the organ from deteriorating.

I cannot say whether the military interventions we take part in are successful or not, but I would love to know what would happen if we were to reverse our spending. Spend 10 billion on the military, and 401 billion of foreign aid. What would the world be like? Would people still hate us? By eliminating hunger and poverty, would radical anti western ideas still take root? I don't think we will ever know for sure, but it's an interesting thought.

Answer 3

I dont think you could ever spend too much on defense, theres a good quote that says:
"With defense you have to be right 100% of the time, with the offense you only have to be right once."
That said, if there are more important things money should be going toward then maybe you should push those, and not try to lessen defense. Because like I said you really cant spend too much on defense of ones self and friends and family. Its also pretty hard to convince others, but maybe when others are proactive themselves about those other things defense or money for it will be weakened.

Answer 4

Actually the US is in huge debt and this is a bigger security threat in the longer term. Imagine is the money spent on military was spent on clean water, education, hospitals etc etc there would be no fundamentalists and no lives lost.

Answer 5

Because the rest of the world is succumbing to socialism and cowardice and abdicating the concept of defending their homes against intruders and dangers.

We have been the world's savior since WW II and got a taste of it in WW I.

That's okay with me. I like the status and the title. I'd say it's money very well spent.

Answer 6

We need to spend a lot on defence so that Dick Cheney and his friends can make a lot of reliable profits on selling bombs to our army.

We need to spend a lot becuase we need to make sure children in St. Louis and Detroit never get to see a dentist or have enough books to learn.

We need to spend money on defence so your dear old grandmother in Peoria dies because she can't afford to buy medicines because the pharmaceutical companies who doante to Bush need to make bigger profits, and we can't afford to stop buying bullets long enough to give your grannie an aspirin.

Oy vay!!! Of course, you don't have these problems in the Uk, but I needed to vent.

Answer 7

The military-industrial complex.

that's why.

Answer 8

u are paranoid and think that u own the world

Answer 9

You would have us be week ?... and you don't even live here!