Barney Frank: The New Mandate on Defense

[dreamnightwind]

14. Exactly

Although I have no idea if that 80% figure is real (let us know if you get back to this thread), the point you're making is correct. (edit to add that I hadn't seen your newer post above, which discusses the 80% figure, so never mind).

Our military is really "protecting", or "enabling", the global economy, at least the international trade aspects of it. Strange that, while many nations participate in this system, it's the U.S. taxpayer who gets stuck with the "defense" bill that apparently props up the whole system.

This defense burden is either unnecessary (my opinion), or is needed and its cost should be shared by all nations.