.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;} <$BlogRSDURL$>
but, .....I repeat myself.
Suppose you were a heartless bastard, and suppose you were a Republican, but, .....I repeat myself. Mark Twain
Monday, February 02, 2004
 
The Price of Empire
Mercury News - Iraq, Afghanistan funds not part of defense budget
WASHINGTON - President Bush is asking Congress for $401.7 billion in military spending for 2005, including huge outlays for new manned and unmanned aircraft, advanced ships, missile defense and precision weapons.
The proposal represents a 7 percent increase over fiscal 2004.
American military budgets have increased steadily for the past six years. The Bush administration plans for military spending to grow $20 billion a year over the next five years. The current defense-budget proposal projects that spending will reach $487.7 billion by 2009.
The 2005 proposal represents 3.6 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, according to Pentagon estimates. Defense spending is up from 2.9 percent of GDP in fiscal year 2000, but down from 8.9 percent during 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War, according to Pentagon figures. Spending is also down from 6 percent of GDP during the military buildup of the Reagan administration, according to Pentagon figures.
Noticeably absent from next year's request is money for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. White House budget director Joshua Bolten estimated that another $50 billion would be needed to cover those costs next year. The White House expects to cover the war costs with supplemental funds after next fall's elections.

Reuters - Bush Wants Steady Increases in Military Spending
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday proposed a $401.7 billion U.S. defense budget for next year in a plan that would steadily increase military spending to $487.8 billion in five years despite growing federal budget deficits.
The proposal for financial 2005 beginning next Oct. 1 is a 7 percent increase over current defense spending and is sure to stir bitter debate in Congress over Bush's call to boost funding for missile defense by $1.2 billion next year.
It would also nearly double current funding to modernize the Army and increase spending on unmanned spy planes for use in Iraq and to help fight the U.S.-declared war on terrorism.
The five-year U.S. defense plan beginning next year includes anticipated boosts to $422.7 billion in fiscal 2006, $443.9 billion in 2007, $475.7 billion in 2008 and $487.7 billion in 2009.

3.6% of GDP on the military, and this does not include the $50 billion to keep our little wars in Eurasia going. This money is obviously not enough to keep us safe from the various boogie men that the military industrial complex has created for us, therefor we will increase the military budget untill we drive the country into total Bankrupcy. If we, the American people do not start getting a grip on reality, our media created paranoia will send us the way of the USSR. We are spending more on defense than all of our Allies (the ones we still have) and all of our ennemies combined.

- posted by Don Quijote @ 11:06 PM


Powered by Blogger Site Meter Weblog Commenting by HaloScan.com