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The Militarization of America At What Cost?

The Militarization of America At What Cost?. PREPARED BY PEACE ACTION MONTGOMERY WWW.PEACEACTIONMC.ORG WITH ASSISTANCE FROM OREGON PEACEWORKS WWW.OREGONPEACEWORKS.ORG. The U.S. Military Budget: Some Startling Views. Total Federal Budget Both Discretionary & Mandatory. Discretionary.

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The Militarization of America At What Cost?

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  1. The Militarization of AmericaAt What Cost? PREPARED BY PEACE ACTION MONTGOMERY WWW.PEACEACTIONMC.ORG WITH ASSISTANCE FROM OREGON PEACEWORKS WWW.OREGONPEACEWORKS.ORG

  2. The U.S. Military Budget: Some Startling Views

  3. Total Federal Budget Both Discretionary & Mandatory Discretionary Mandatory (Entitlements) Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

  4. Discretionary Budget AuthorityProposed: FY 2010 “All other” includes spending on the environment, science, transportation, international affairs, and everything else except entitlements and debt. Source: National Priorities Project

  5. Discretionary BudgetBy Category, 2009 Source: Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Briefing Book

  6. Federal Spending on War vs. Other Priorities, 2007 6 Source: Congressional Joint Economic Committee Majority Staff, Nov. 2007

  7. 2010Budget: Peace Corps vs. Military Recruiting Dollars Sources: American Forces Press Service; Peace Corps Web Site

  8. U.S. Military Spending vs. Other Countries, In Rank Order, FY 2009 Source: Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation

  9. Growth in Military Spending Military spending has grown an average of 9% per year above inflation in the last eight years, compared to 1.3% per year for domestic discretionary programs. Source: Friends Committee on National Legislation

  10. U.S. Job Creation with $1 Billion Spending Number of Jobs Created Education Health Care Clean Energy Consumption Military Source: Pollin & Garrett-Peltier, 2009

  11. Afghanistan War vs. World Military Spending In 2010, the United States will spend more on the war in Afghanistan than every other country in the world spends on defense individually, with the exception of China. Source: Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

  12. Total War CostsIraq and Afghanistan Through 2010 Total direct cost of both wars by 2010: over $1 trillion

  13. $1 Trillion is a Thousand Billion Imagine that you spent $1 million/day beginning with the birth of Jesus—to spend a trillion dollars, you’d need to keep spending at that rate until mid-way through the 28th century. If you laid out end-to-end one trillion dollars in $100 bills, you could circle the Earth at the equator 39 times.

  14. U.S. Foreign Military Bases • The US maintains about 1,000 foreign military bases—268 in Germany alone • Foreign bases cost taxpayers about $100 billion per year • These bases generate anger all over the globe and are a recruiting tool for our enemies Source: Foreign Policy in Focus

  15. War ProfiteersExample: Lockheed Martin • Percent of profits derived directly from US tax payers, 2008: 84% ($4.368 billion) • Total compensation of Lockheed Martin CEO, 2007: $36,560,000 • Lockheed Martin paid lobbying, 2008: $15,821,506

  16. What do Military Contractors Do? • Feed troops • Maintain facilities and equipment • Transport cargo • Wash clothes • Provide security guards for bases and diplomats Contractors are doing things that the military used to do—and doing them for a profit.

  17. Contractors vs. U.S. Troops in Afghanistan December, 2009 Source: Congressional Research Service Report number R40764 & DOD

  18. Contractors vs. U.S. Troops in Iraq, 2009 November, 2009 Source: American Friends Service Committee

  19. Outsourcing War: Paying for It Annual pay for an experienced corporal with three years of service: $19,980 Annual pay for some mercenaries: $150,000--$250,o00/year Source: Huck Gutman

  20. U.S.: Arms Dealer to the World Arms Transfer Agreements with The World, By Supplier, 2008 Source: Congressional Research Service, Sept. 2009

  21. What Does this Mean for You?

  22. A Weaker Economy Money to finance wars displaces productive investment, for example to rebuild infrastructure. As a result of not making these investments, future output in the U.S. will be smaller. • Source: Stiglitz and Bilmes, The Three Trillion Dollar War

  23. Long-Term Costs: To Be Paid Later Money to finance the wars is borrowed, largely from foreigners. This money has to be repaid, with interest. A huge national debt comes at the expense of domestic investment and future growth. Owing this debt to foreigners increases our vulnerability to foreign control of markets and policy. • Source: Stiglitz and Bilmes, The Three Trillion Dollar War

  24. Future Costs Future costs, e.g., treating the wounded and costs of repair & replacement of military equipment, are not factored in to the war costs • Source: Stiglitz and Bilmes, The Three Trillion Dollar War

  25. Direct Plus Indirect Costs of Wars Through 2008Total: $20,900 Per U.S. Family Direct war costs include all estimated budgeted costs of the war to the federal government. Indirect costs are all other economic costs. Source: Congressional Joint Economic Committee Majority Staff, Nov. 2007

  26. Projected Costs of Wars Through 2017: $3.5 TrillionAlmost $50,000 per Family Source: Congressional Joint Economic Committee Majority Staff, Nov. 2007

  27. Our Real Costs Because of excessive military costs: • We have less to invest in new businesses and new ways of doing things—our economy is weaker • We have less to spend on health, education, infrastructure, art and culture. • We have to work harder and longer hours.

  28. Excessive Militarism:A Threat to Democracy

  29. Threat to Democracy • Militarism restricts freedom at home • Freedom of speech (e.g., Eugene Debs imprisoned for several years because of opposition to World War I) • Militarism expands government surveillance of citizens • Patriot Act • NSA data mining • Illegal bypass of FISA court

  30. Threat to Democracy • Militarism involves immense amounts of money that corrupt the political system • Campaign contributions by war profiteers • Lobbying by war profiteers and other corporate interests (e.g., oil) • War leads to secrecy which is incompatible with democracy • The “State Secrets Privilege”: invoked 23 times by Bush & used to dismiss entire cases • The hiding of the “Pentagon Papers” during the Vietnam War

  31. Threat to Democracy • Militarism erodes fundamental rights • Denial of Habeas Corpus in “War on Terror” • Legalization of torture • Military Commissions Act of 2006, creating kangaroo courts • Militarism demonizes certain citizens--who then lose basic rights • Japanese-Americans in WW II • Muslims and Arab Americans today

  32. Threat to Democracy • Militarism leads to secret paramilitary organizations, illegal actions, and no accountability • CIA – Illegal violence in Chile, Iran, Central America, etc. • “Extraordinary rendition”— kidnappings and disappearances • CIA Black Sites—secret prisons, beyond any law, any oversight

  33. What We Can Do

  34. Close Foreign Bases The Declaration of Independence criticizes the British "for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us" and "for protecting them . . . from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States.“ Foreign bases create enemies and make us less safe.

  35. End War Profiteering FDR , during World War II: "I don't want to see a single war millionaire created in the United States as a result of this world disaster.“ FDR: • Supported broad increases in the corporate income tax; • Raised the excess-profits tax to 90 percent; and • Charged the Office of War Mobilization with the task of eliminating illegal profits.

  36. Stop Using Mercenariesand Other Contractors • No accountability • Much more expensive • Makes war too easy

  37. Get Out of Iraq and Afghanistan These wars: • Are creating new enemies, making us less safe • Are destroying our economy • Are killing and maiming our young people—as well as hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Afghans, and Pakistanis Leave no bases or contractors behind!

  38. Cut the Military Budget We can cut the military budget substantially if we: Close foreign military bases End occupations and wars Stop war profiteering End use of mercenaries and other contractors

  39. How Much Should We Cut the Budget? Rep. Barney Frank’s goal: Cut the military budget by 25%

  40. How Much Should We Cut the Budget? Andrew Bacevich: We should reduce the US military budget to a level that does not exceed the combined military spending of all ten of the next highest-spending countries in the world. Source: National Priorities Project—Security Spending Primer

  41. Cut the Military Budget Foreign Policy in Focus publishes an annual “Unified Security Budget” that specifies other ways to cut the military budget and refocus spending for real security. Check it out: www.fpif.org.

  42. Join Us! LOBBYING VISIONING PUBLIC EDUCATION MEDIA OUTREACH PUBLIC ACTIVISM www.oregonpeaceworks.org

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