Why does the government keep wasting our money on this failed war?

Question

http://www.warresisters.org/piechart.htm

Many people are blaming illegal immigrants for why they have no money, but really it's the military. More than HALF of our money goes into the military, and president Bush still has us TRILLIONS of dollars in debt.

Imagine if we'd taken that money and fed the hungry. Wouldn't it be a nicer place? Food is a hell of a lot cheaper than killing brown people for oil, that's for sure.

By "feeding the hungry" I mean taking care of other people instead of hurting them. This could include giving people resources to get the food and medical attention they need. Basically my point is if we stopped spending money on hurt and started spending that on love the world would be a better place.

Answer 1

You said the answer in your question. It is not their money. What they spend today, they get more form the taxpayer tomorrow. If the American people were not so apathetiic and take an active part in reining in their elected officials, this would NEVER have goten so much out of hand.

Answer 2

So, you would rather have the military not have any money? Do you realize that without a military, you would be speaking another language?
FYI, the Iraqi war ended in 2003. The War or terrorism is still ongoing, along with the war on drugs. These two wars will also go on, until we eliminate all terrorists and all the drugs. Its not a real war, even though people are dying. What is going on in Iraq isn't a war. What is happening there is trying to get them to take back their country, but you still have the terrorists trying to stop it.

As far as the illegal immigrants, they are taking away jobs from Americans. The money the illegals get paid from employers are far less than what American's should make. If these employers would hire American, then there would be less hunger in the world.

Also, you can't put the blame solely on Bush, blame all the other Presidents before him for the national debt. We been trillions in debt even before Reagan was president.

Food might be cheaper, but how do you suppose it gets to people? By truck, train, etc, those use gas, which comes from oil.
And, the military isn't killing Iraqis for oil. If you had the guts to actually go over there, you would see it for yourself. Sadly, you choose to get all your "facts" from the news, who will only report what they think is news worthy. What they don't talk about are the good things the military does in that country. Sad but true.

Answer 3

While I agree with your sentiments, perhaps it would be helpful to contemplate who might consider the war, as it is, a success.

Those individuals and corporations that want to destabilize the Middle East and to establish a permanent U.S. military "footprint" there are probably quite content padding their bank accounts with all the wasted billions of dollars that were supposedly meant to rehabilitate all that infrastructure that the U.S. obliterated.

Also, quite content with the war, would be all those individuals and corporations who most want the American people to be so distracted by the war, that no one notices the ever increasing rate at which civil rights, human rights, and workers' rights are lost in the U.S.

The rule of thumb for contemplating why such a disastrous adventure continues is to ask: Who profits? If you follow the money trail, then you will find out who really is responsible for this war and wants it to last indefinitely, even if it ruins the American economy and eliminates the last shreds of democracy as we know it.

Answer 4

The same reason they waste it on everything else.

Because they can. If more than 40% started voting and voted some of these idiots out consistently, they'd think twice before wasting as much as they do. The cost of that War pales in comparison the amount wasted over the years on everything else.

See people like to vote in Presidential moreso than these little small time hometown elections but where you do think the people in Senate and Congress started out? Many in these small time elections that many over look. It starts from the bottom. Gov't is backwards as in most things you start from the top and work your way down..here you start from the bottom, get good ones in, and they eventually filter up to the top as the losers get voted out. That doesn't happen when 12% turnout shows up for primaries and other stuff so the bad filter up and we get what we have today.

Answer 5

It's not really Bush's fault that we're trillions of dollars in debt. It was that way when he took office.

If we'd taken all the money we spend on the military and fed the hungry, those people would just get hungry again. If we spend it on the military, our soldiers can ensure that people have the ability to create their own food sources.

Answer 6

The war has definitely NOT failed. Your criteria is askew. Currently, our presense is protecting the world economy -- which runs on oil and Iran has openly stated that they are ready to take charge and fill the vacuume of leadership when the U.S. pulls out. Considering all of the anti-western rhetoric from Iran and that they export terrorism, your question on that point alone is of a flawed logic.
As for feeding the hungry. The Human Resources budget is almost equal to that of the military. Again, a flawed logic exists. Would it not be more wise financially to teach them to fish than to simply feed them?
But wait! We already have a "free" education system and a law requiring 100% attendance... We also offer second chance programs "Free," such as adult schools (GED) and Job Corps.
Without oil, you can't feed anyone anyway.

Answer 7

You're right. Imagine if the hungry got jobs and worked and contributed taxes to society. Imagine if there were people on food stamps they didn't way 200 + pounds. Imagine that the people on welfare didn't have computers, video game systems, TVs and cable. Imagine if everyone lived within the means they provide for themselves by working.
Wow that would be great !!!

Answer 8

i think of we are able to work out drug coverage substitute whilst all of this political turmoil calms down. it fairly is a few thing that is affecting merely approximately each and every American in some way, no remember if by a family members member or own reports. we could desire to continually be sending addicts to rehab, not reformatory. we could desire to coach, not use scare procedures.

Answer 9

because feeding the hungry doesn't put money in the hands of the people who count: oil tycoons, health insurance providers, weapons manufacturing, and private securities firms. how will the rich get richer if the poor are getting richer?

Answer 10

The administration is too prideful to admit the mistake. They have been blatantly wrong many, many times over and they never apologize for it. They certainly are not flip floppers, are they?!?

If you want to place blame, place it squarely on the American voting public for acting stupidly twice. What's Bush's saying: fool me once...er...fool me twice shame...er...don't fool me. America, shame on you because you've been fooled twice.