Cut the Defense budget

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Well it looks like one thing the cocksucker and the Constitutionalist have in common and I have to agree with them. Our defense budget is way too big and we dont need to be everywhere all the time



http://www.businessinsider.com/barney-frank-and-ron-paul-join-hands-to-call-for-military-budget-cuts-2010-7

[dereckfishboy]

I agree, but all the hundred billion a year they'd save would get eaten up by the next bill that comes along.

[A.J.]

No.

[sailor]

Stay classy.

[StanUpshaw]

I was stuck in a hotel room this weekend and actually had to watch some cable news. Cutting defense spending, with a focus on closing overseas bases, seems to be quite the bandwagon topic right now.

[Hottub]

No.

Warmonger.

[sailor]

I was stuck in a hotel room this weekend and actually had to watch some cable news. Cutting defense spending, with a focus on closing overseas bases, seems to be quite the bandwagon topic right now.


And?

[pennington]

And?

And then he noticed the cute busboy in the restaurant...

[El Mudo]

I agree

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/dwight-eisenhower-picture.jpg

[WRESTLINGFAN]

I agree

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/dwight-eisenhower-picture.jpg

He warned us about the M.I.C.

[epo]

The United States has 43% of the world share of military expenditures, China is in second place at 6.6%.

The only realistic away to balance the budget is not to cut domestic spending, but rather to cut military spending. However, a large portion of that military spending is almost impossible to change, due to personnel expenses.

[SinA]

the cocksucker and the Constitutionalist

ron and fez?

[A.J.]

However, a large portion of that military spending is almost impossible to change, due to personnel expenses.

THANK you. And medical/housing expenses.

[Crispy123]

Can we really call it Defense spending when its 2 wars that we started?

[JPMNICK]

isn't that money cycled back into the economy by employing people int he private sector to make the shit we use?

[Serpico1103]

isn't that money cycled back into the economy by employing people int he private sector to make the shit we use?

Same could be said for every government program. Except we could use the money for rebuilding and repairing our infrastructure instead of building the newest military toys, only to sell them to, then use the fact that other governments have advanced technology to build even more expensive, useless toys.

We are prepared for a land war that will never happen.

[El Mudo]

He warned us about the M.I.C.

He also spent most of his administration trying to cut the defense budget. In the middle of the Cold War. While we were involved in Korea AND paying the French to fight in Indochina.

Man had brass balls.

[El Mudo]

THANK you. And medical/housing expenses.

I think DOD is one of the largest, if not the largest employer in the country. I think its them, Wal Mart, and the Post Office in some order in the Top 3.

[A.J.]

Except we could use the money for rebuilding and repairing our infrastructure instead of building the newest military toys, only to sell them to, then use the fact that other governments have advanced technology to build even more expensive, useless toys.

A lot of the time, we're repairing our own military infrastructure. For all the new stuff we build, we also have to upgrade and refit the existing equipment. The way technology keeps leaping along, the DoD procurement process makes it difficult to budget, procure and field the stuff in a timely fashion.

[Crispy123]

A lot of the time, we're repairing our own military infrastructure. For all the new stuff we build, we also have to upgrade and refit the existing equipment. The way technology keeps leaping along, the DoD procurement process makes it difficult to budget, procure and field the stuff in a timely fashion.

But it does make it easy for the top brass to get cushy jobs in Corporate America (Lockheed, Boeing, KBR, P&G, GE, etc) when they retire...

[A.J.]

But it does make it easy for the top brass to get cushy jobs in Corporate America (Lockheed, Boeing, KBR, P&G, GE, etc) when they retire...

Oh, no doubt. They get jobs like that or they go to think tanks.

[Chigworthy]

Same could be said for every government program. Except we could use the money for rebuilding and repairing our infrastructure instead of building the newest military toys, only to sell them to, then use the fact that other governments have advanced technology to build even more expensive, useless toys.

We are prepared for a land war that will never happen.

I guess you've never seen Red Dawn, you commie.

[Willmore]

Warmonger.

Pussy.

Don't you understand that the Marine Corps needs those Ospreys? They're planes that are also helicopters, now how can you cut something that cool?

[Serpico1103]

We are prepared for a land war that will never happen.

I guess you've never seen Red Dawn, you commie. Part of my communist training- kill all high school kids first.

Sorry, I meant to say- "We are not prepared for a land war that will happen."

If anyone needs proof that private ownership of guns is necessary- WOLVERINES!!!!!!!!

[Serpico1103]

Pussy.

Don't you understand that the Marine Corps needs those Ospreys? They're planes that are also helicopters, now how can you cut something that cool?

ESD should see if the Marines need knives that are also scissors.

What are Ospreys? Planopters? Helicanes?

[El Mudo]

ESD should see if the Marines need knives that are also scissors.

What are Ospreys? Planopters? Helicanes?

An absolute disaster (http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1665835,00.html)

Now the aircraft that flies like an airplane but takes off and lands like a chopper is about to make its combat debut in Iraq. It has been a long, strange trip: the V-22 has been 25 years in development, more than twice as long as the Apollo program that put men on the moon. V-22 crashes have claimed the lives of 30 men — 10 times the lunar program's toll — all before the plane has seen combat. The Pentagon has put $20 billion into the Osprey and expects to spend an additional $35 billion before the program is finished. In exchange, the Marines, Navy and Air Force will get 458 aircraft, averaging $119 million per copy.

[high fly]

Yeah, I'd like to see the cost of a CH-53 compared to a V-22. They carry about the same number of troops, but don't fly as fast. Ok, in that case, have the damned things leave sooner!
We also do not need that littoral combat ship, the F-22 or the F-35, especially the second engine for the damned thing.
The defense budget should be cut at least $100 billion.

The cost of the war, errr, "cakewalk" in Iraq is eating us alive. I recall a Bush economic adviser being fired for saying it miight cost as much as $200 billion....

[A.J.]

We also do not need that littoral combat ship.

Yes we do.

[Crispy123]

The high costs associated with the Osprey were with developing the concept of a tilt-rotor aircraft. Comparing the costs of the V22 with the CH53 isn't really fair unless you incorporate the costs of producing the initial helicopter. The CH-53 is a great aircraft and the Osprey is shapin up to be one as well, the USMC planned the osprey as a replacement for the 46 which is a horrible shitbox and I would not step foot in one if given a choice.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

The high costs associated with the Osprey were with developing the concept of a tilt-rotor aircraft. Comparing the costs of the V22 with the CH53 isn't really fair unless you incorporate the costs of producing the initial helicopter. The CH-53 is a great aircraft and the Osprey is shapin up to be one as well, the USMC planned the osprey as a replacement for the 46 which is a horrible shitbox and I would not step foot in one if given a choice.

As a former grunt I haaaaaaaated going on the 46's I would cringe when I saw those dual rotors spinning so close to each other


I assume all those HMM squadrons would have to be disbanded or redesignated.

[high fly]

The high costs associated with the Osprey were with developing the concept of a tilt-rotor aircraft. Comparing the costs of the V22 with the CH53 isn't really fair unless you incorporate the costs of producing the initial helicopter. The CH-53 is a great aircraft and the Osprey is shapin up to be one as well, the USMC planned the osprey as a replacement for the 46 which is a horrible shitbox and I would not step foot in one if given a choice.

I don't think so, in terms of going back and comparing the cost of developing the '53.
I am not talking about comparing the total costs of the programs. I am looking at it from whether we would be better off right now buying the V-22 or spending the same money on '53s. Actually, a lot less could be spent while getting the same capability in terms of moving troops.
A lot of people in the Marine Corps were opposed to the V-22, including those who developed it. I know the guy who wrote up the first plans for testing the damned thing. He got out of the Corps before Desert Storm and never has liked it.
Besides the qualities of the aircraft, they didn't like the huge bite the V-22 was taking out of their budget.

I also think the Marines need to look at whether they should have the M-1 tank.

Something else we don't need is that bigass cutter the Coast Guard is buying.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Ive been out since '95 but If I am correct the Marines are looking to replace the AAV with a newer generation Amphib vehicle. Maybe they should scrap that project

[A.J.]

Ive been out since '95 but If I am correct the Marines are looking to replace the AAV with a newer generation Amphib vehicle. Maybe they should scrap that project

The LCAC is cooler.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/LCAC.JPG

[Crispy123]

I don't think so, in terms of going back and comparing the cost of developing the '53.
I am not talking about comparing the total costs of the programs. I am looking at it from whether we would be better off right now buying the V-22 or spending the same money on '53s. Actually, a lot less could be spent while getting the same capability in terms of moving troops.
A lot of people in the Marine Corps were opposed to the V-22, including those who developed it. I know the guy who wrote up the first plans for testing the damned thing. He got out of the Corps before Desert Storm and never has liked it.
Besides the qualities of the aircraft, they didn't like the huge bite the V-22 was taking out of their budget.

I also think the Marines need to look at whether they should have the M-1 tank.

Something else we don't need is that bigass cutter the Coast Guard is buying.

I agree with all of the above. The politics involved with Congress shoving this thing on the DOD and the USMC in particular, the entire DOD/Congressional budgeting ordeal, the testing process with the USMC culture of acheiving the "mission" at all costs, and the loss of life made the whole program an abomination. However, the tilt-rotor concept has some kind of hypno effect on a staggering amount of people's minds in DC and it just wouldn't die.

My point is that this is an entirely new concept/aircraft from anything else and it absolutely had to cost more than anything we have already built or done before.

Speaking of the M1 another Osprey type debacle is now operational, the ABV.

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[torker]

http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2010/1101100809_400.jpg

[PapaBear]

http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2010/1101100809_400.jpg


This freaked me out when I saw it on my table yesterday. As I approached, I thought "Wow! She looks pretty. I want to get a closer look". Then I got close enough to see, and... AGGGHHH!!!!:surrender:

[torker]

This freaked me out when I saw it on my table yesterday. As I approached, I thought "Wow! She looks pretty. I want to get a closer look". Then I got close enough to see, and... AGGGHHH!!!!:surrender:

http://www.white-history.com/hwr5c_files/natgeog.jpeg

http://adamoxford.co.uk/wp-content/Pics/afghan-girl.jpg

[TripleSkeet]

While I agree the military spending is ridiculous, if the budget were to be cut I have zero faith they would make the cuts that are necessary. Instead of cutting all the useless spending on toy weapons meant to obliterate everything in its path I have a feeling they would just send more soldiers home to file for unemployment.

[hanso]

Cost of one jet fighter closing in on half a billion price range.

[A.J.]

You should see what ships cost.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

You should see what ships cost.

Especially Aircraft Carriers, They gotta cost at least a few billion each.

They are beginning to scrap the Nimitz class for the Gerald Ford Class carriers

[sailor]

Especially Aircraft Carriers, They gotta cost at least a few billion each.

They are beginning to scrap the Nimitz class for the Gerald Ford Class carriers

This won't end well.

http://assets.bigthink.com/images/age_of_engagement/ford_falling.jpg

[A.J.]

Poor Gerald Ford. The man played on Michigan football's back to back national championships in 1932 and 33, yet he's always thought of as a klutz for this.

Jimmy Carter collapsed while jogging and Dubya fell off his Segway.

[epo]

Poor Gerald Ford. The man played on Michigan football's back to back national championships in 1932 and 33, yet he's always thought of as a klutz for this.

Jimmy Carter collapsed while jogging and Dubya fell off his Segway.

Ford also caught me as being a decent guy. I guess that serves him right for being nice!

[Dude!]

Jimmy Carter collapsed while jogging and Dubya fell off his Segway.

i read something about Carter
being attacked by a killer rabbit

that must have been awesome

[PapaBear]

and Dubya fell off his Segway.
Didn't he also fall off a bike? Oh, and Clinton used someone's dress to "clean up". That's pretty clumbsy, if you ask me.