Why are you attacking me Arlo....it was Mini-D that suggested a "mass exodus"?
Spin, Spin, Spin.
Originally posted by Arlo
Are you really this stupid or do you try extra hard? You're actually suggesting that a voluntary mass exodus of the military (career or otherwise) in protest of administrations coming to power that have, as part of their platform, a policy dedicated to cutting the defense budget to the bone is the most logical action to take? That has to be one of the dumbest attempts at making a "point" I've ever seen anywhere. Congrats. 
Rip, Average annual military spending during peacetime Cold War (excluding Korean and Vietnam War years) = $285.4 Billion. In FY 1999, the United States spent over $276 billion on its military.
This figure includes outlays of the Pentagon and the Department of Energy nuclear weapons programs plus more than $27 billion spent on the intelligence agencies--about half on tactical military intelligence and half for intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency.
With this budget, the Pentagon fields a military force without rival in the world. It sustains over 1.4 million men and women in active duty plus another 870,000 in the reserves.
Standing forces include 10 active Army divisions, three Marine divisions, 13 active and seven reserve Air Force fighter wings, and 12 aircraft carrier battle groups (11 active), plus around 7,200 deployed nuclear warheads capable of being launched from the ground affixed to MX and Minuteman missiles, by sea from Trident submarines, and by air from B-52 and B-2 bombers.
The Pentagon has basically completed its post-cold war drawdown and, with minor reductions, plans to sustain this force structure indefinitely. The Pentagon budget also includes over 770,000 civilian employees, almost 40% of total executive branch civilian personnel.
Looks like Bubba held the line ehh? With the collapse of the Soviet Union do you really think we needed to keep defense spending at the level of the Reagan years?
WJC and Hillary appreciate your support Mini-D.
