Pain or Gain

Western defense budget cuts may be unstoppable - US news - Security | NBC News

This is an unavoidable result of a defense budget that has been increased past the point of sustainability.  One owuld be advised to recall that it was pressure on the defense budget that led to the fall of the Soviet Union.  With a budget larger than the next 13 countries combined there are significand reductions in cost to be made.  Many industries have fed at the teat of government subsidies to produce the materiel of death.  It is all not necessary.  We can reduce a large amount without damaging our defensive posture even though we may lose some ability to force our will on the world.

The defense budget needs to be viewed as a government stimulus program that has a permanent support group.  Our allies in NATO and other countries are able to spend less on their defense programs as a result of us paying more.  Let logic prevail.