Despite the US spending vastly more than any other nation on its military, officials are constantly talking up the need to “keep up” with Russia and China, a process which invariably involves preposterous increases in spending to reach arbitrary goals designed only to justify continued growth.
Today, the US Air Force is taking their turn, with Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson arguing that the Air Force is “too small for what the nation is asking us to do,” and is pushing for an increase that she estimated would involve a 24% increase in personnel. and squadrons.
This current year, the US Air Force budget will be $156.3 billion, which is considerably more than either China or Russia spends on their entire military. Wilson cited “classified” analysis of future military threats as the main justification, but also cited major Russian wargames ongoing in Asia. These wargames are almost exclusively involving ground troops, not warplanes.
Arguing that the real analysis justifying the increase is classified is tantamount to admitting that no such analysis exists. There simply are no rival air forces anywhere near the scale of the US Air Force, and the “threat” is largely illusory, invented to try to steer more money to the Air Force.
When you can justify a $1.0 trillion to develop a J35 aircraft you have very different judgement than people who work for their money and pay taxes.
Yes because in Russia they’re government isn’t corrupt, it’s a real democracy where they’re elections are truly free producing different leaders with different views that truly represent its people ,and it’s economy is booming with its strong ruble worldwide due to all the innovation of products that people want all over the world, hahaha….More like it’s forced to sell energy and rockets to its enemies just to stay afloat .Sad….
Sad how ignorant and brainwashed you are…
And your just sad.See how that works.
It would be “you’re” , illiterate hick. See how that works, half wit.
My fault didn’t know you where also a part of the grammar police COMRADE. .Hahaha
“Were” not “where” hillbilly.
“More like it’s forced to sell energy and rockets to its enemies just to stay afloat ”
The US government sells energy and rockets to its enemies, too, and is what, $21 trillion underwater?
And we invent products people actually want world wide.Don’t forget how our strong Dollar compares to there weak Ruble.America allows adversary nations to buy up dept as a means of deterrent .Adversary nation’s such as China have learned some tricks from America in terms of nation building and how it allows them to use there influence to create bases in places like the Horn of Africa.
How much you spend might not strengthen your military as much as where you spend the money on . Missiles and outer space missiles orbiting the earth will be the weapons that can destroy countries . Not aircraft carriers and planes .
There in development, test phases, and are going to be deployed very soon speaking of the missiles.The new aircraft that are also being built are America’s biggest threat to any rival nation’s militaries it’s always been that way. An F-35 flying over Damascus is Assads worst nightmare and is also a dream that could in reality become very real. Everyone asks what Russia has to lose if it attacks Israel or American bases in Syria and it’s really quite simple,they’ve got everything to lose. All it takes is Assads death and boom ,a free for all warzone.
An F35 is a PILOT’S worst nightmare.
You got that right a Russian pilots worst nightmare.See how that works.
You are a funny little man, “Uncle Sam” … sad but funny.
If Putin is smart, he’ll announce that Russia is now guaranteeing Syria’s airspace, that any Israeli aircraft violating it will be shot down, and that the sources of any missiles fired from outside Syria will be identified and destroyed.
China tried the same thing in the South China Sea how’d that workout. Russia can’t even keep America’s fighter jets from flying on it’s borders.I guess anything’s possible Mr.Knapp if youbelieve hard enough.
I’m unaware of any reports that China has done any such thing. They’ve made claims to airspace in the South China Sea. They’ve made general statements concerning protecting those claims. But I haven’t seen a single statement from Beijing saying “we will shoot down planes [from Country X] which enter the airspace we’re claiming.”
On the other hand, if the US was to launch an attack on their bases in the Spratly Islands, yes, they would almost certainly attempt to retaliate against e.g. the carriers from which planes were launched or the other ships from which cruise missiles were launched. Whether or not they would be successful is a different question.
As far as one country being able to keep another’s aircraft from flying on its borders, the US complains every day about Russian aircraft flying near Alaska, etc.
And furthermore, read what I actually wrote. I wrote that Putin should ANNOUNCE something.
If he announced what I say he should announce, Trump would be on the horn telling Netanyahu to knock off the bullshit in short order, because Trump doesn’t want the US backed into a corner where it has to either openly confront the Russians on clear behalf of Israel, or be seen as abandoning Israel.
This is a game US presidents have been playing for decades. They’ll back Israel as long as they don’t have to openly do so in a way that might cause caskets to start landing at Dover AFB. Because as soon as that happens, that’s it for the “special relationship.” That’s why Reagan got the f**k out of Beirut at the first bloody nose.
More for them. Austerity for US. This is how my country will end.
Keeping up with the Jones’s, how perfectly American. We have such an overwhelming confirmation bias that we can’t notice that the Jones’s Ferrari is just a cardboard cutout. And we are prepared to bankrupt ourselves, literally and morally, to outdo this false threat to our status. Plus it’s the wrong question; We would better secure what we want by being self-aware instead of by focusing on others.
The USA should keep up with Russia and China by drastically cutting military spending, stop meddling in other countries and using the saved money on useful things.