I was shocked when I read that!
How do you feel about it?
Is it really necessary?
Here's the website:
http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=3626&pst=516660
How much does this cost every taxpayer?
2007-03-26 02:14:45 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Everything that the military operates is considered a base. I think your website inidicates that there most of these figures are actually inside the US and include things like National Guard and Reserve centers, VA hospitals, outpatients treatment centers, induction stations and many other innocuous places. I live in WV which is a small state with no active duty military bases but we would have well over a hundred such sites that you mention. It is good to question the military budget but when you exaggerate figures or make hysterical statements you end up just preaching to your own choir of people who obviously are criticizing something by making false statements. US bases around the world are there at the request of host governments and are often part of their defense structure, i.e. if there is a US base there they are not likely to be invaded by anyone. They also tend to supply good employment to locals. I love political discussion and like many I like to critique and redicule the status quo but it just brings the dialogue down when someone decides to try to trump the conversation with same exaggerated, fake statistic. Too bad, its a good point you were going to make but you lost it when you went over the edge.
Addendum: What you do is set people like Nora off with claims of oppression and military dominance by quoting such wild statistics. You do not gain anything by doing that, you just play into the hands of people who will use your hysteria to make points that you may be uncomfortable with. Get it right when you speak, this is an international forum.
2007-03-26 02:25:05 · answer #1 · answered by Tom W 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Invalid statistic.
The US already has 890 military installations in foreign countries, ranging from major Air Force bases to smaller installations, say a radar facility. Perhaps bases in Iraq would enable the Pentagon to close a few of those facilities. As part of a post-cold-war shift in its global posture, the Defense Department has been cutting the number of its installations in Germany, which total more than 100. Last week Mr. Rumsfeld testified about a global "rearrangement" of US forces to the Senate Armed Forces Committee.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0930/p17s02-cogn.html
They seem to confuse the real property inventory with an actual "base"
2007-03-26 09:21:11 · answer #2 · answered by wizjp 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Kelly, you are the Chicken Little of Y!A Politics.
You think that a Marine Baracks in a US Embassy is a "Military Base."
You think that a National Guard Armory is a "military base."
You really ought to read more than a Chalmbers essay whining about military guns 'n' stuff.
A little perspective...the military is *HALF* the size it was in 1992...*HALF*
Interesting that Nora thinks that the Federal Budget is 67% military spending. Wrong, Nora...wrong. Military spending is only 17 percent of the federal budget for 2007.
2007-03-26 10:11:54 · answer #3 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I didn't realize it was that many, but yes I was aware there are US military bases all over the world. So what's your point?
Edit: You should read my Blog Entry for today. You would learn how I feel about the federal government and also realize that I love our military and support them 100%. Even with extra tax dollars the federal government doesn't deserve to take from me.
2007-03-26 09:18:09 · answer #4 · answered by Mikira 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
This information you are using is not accurate and the total base count is much lower .
Including air force , army ,navy ,marine and cost guard we have world wide including the United States a little under 1000 . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_military_bases
You can count them for yourself .
2007-03-26 09:57:56 · answer #5 · answered by trouble maker 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
that is why a lot of them have been shut down. We have lost 2 here in Maine. Really hurt the economy because now there are no soldiers & there family's here to buy things. It would have been fine if they were never here, but when they shut them down like that it causes a fast slump. as we can not bring in that many people to replace them. Unlike if it was goods being sold and you could just change your product
2007-03-26 09:20:20 · answer #6 · answered by Shelly t 6 · 0⤊ 5⤋
It's a travesty!!!
These bases keep the world's countries in submission--maintaining 'peace' so that they will provide labor at slave wages and conditions or sell their goods to multinational companies.
Big companies steal resources by using the leverage of the US military--and US citizens pay for this through a federal budget that is 67% military costs.
Totally ridiculous!
2007-03-26 09:21:34 · answer #7 · answered by nora22000 7 · 0⤊ 6⤋
Yes because it does take time to respond to a threat.
or maybe you don't think there are bad people out there who want to hurt us.
2007-03-26 09:19:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
I think that is a good thing
2007-03-26 09:18:07 · answer #9 · answered by plhudson01 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That is way too many bases, and they cost too much. We only need a few hundred to protect our nation.
2007-03-26 09:21:42 · answer #10 · answered by Villain 6 · 0⤊ 5⤋