http://grognews.blogspot.com/2012/03/defense-budget-analysis.html
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comments at the link, too
The middle panel seems most important, IMHO. It isn't so much how much money is spent, but what proportion to the GDP. In comparison, we are on par with wealthy nations in at risk areas. I also think that it is interesting that the US makes up the majority of defense spending of North America and Canada only takes up 2%. Canadians, time to pull your weight! ;)
What would be more interesting is to see numbers of personnel compared. I get the sense we have more money per soldier spent but that we have far fewer soldiers than China. Of course, no way would we be able to get accurate numbers on this, but it would be cool to know.
The middle one is interesting for several reasons.
Friends: US + Israel.
Questionables: Saudi, Oman, Jordan, Iraq.
Trending hostile: Myanmar, Algeria, Yeman.
Armenia?
Food for thought there.
Brazil is top 10 in defense spending? I'll admit that's a bit of a surprise.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on March 20, 2012, 05:41:55 PM
Brazil is top 10 in defense spending? I'll admit that's a bit of a surprise.
They are terribly close to Antarctica.
All joking aside, the unrest in Colombia is hardly encouraging if you're a neighbor. And the real estate they have to cover is respectable.
Quote from: son_of_montfort on March 20, 2012, 09:50:24 AM
...Canada only takes up 2%. Canadians, time to pull your weight! ;)
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Exactly! We're keeping you guys warm by taking on those fearsome Arctic weather fronts...
Quote from: Arctic Blast on March 20, 2012, 05:41:55 PM
Brazil is top 10 in defense spending? I'll admit that's a bit of a surprise.
Considering their government is only a step away from a military junta, I'm not surprised.
QuoteThe middle one is interesting for several reasons.
Friends: US + Israel.
Questionables: Saudi, Oman, Jordan, Iraq.
Trending hostile: Myanmar, Algeria, Yeman.
Armenia?
Food for thought there.
Sort of interesting in this sense, but more interesting to me that our ratio of spending is akin to a place with "hot" borders. Considering the US's international focus, I think we consider all hot borders our responsibility.
Another interesting piece is that the main member nations of the UN hardly show up on that list.
I would like to know the breakdown of how our defense money is spent in comparison to other countries.
Also, wasn't overspending on defense one of the signs of Rome falling? Ok, that was more a joke than a discussion point... ;)
Very interesting thanks for sharing the graphs.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on March 20, 2012, 05:41:55 PM
Brazil is top 10 in defense spending? I'll admit that's a bit of a surprise.
They're thinking of building a Maginot line between Colombia and Guyana in case Li'l Hugo wants take a southern road trip.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on March 20, 2012, 06:05:24 PM
Exactly! We're keeping you guys warm by taking on those fearsome Arctic weather fronts...
Outstanding job this year. I suspect you'll get a medal.
Quote from: LongBlade on March 20, 2012, 06:57:03 PM
Quote from: Arctic Blast on March 20, 2012, 06:05:24 PM
Exactly! We're keeping you guys warm by taking on those fearsome Arctic weather fronts...
Outstanding job this year. I suspect you'll get a medal.
No doubt. I'm wearing shorts in March. Weird!
Quote from: son_of_montfort on March 20, 2012, 09:50:24 AM
The middle panel seems most important, IMHO. It isn't so much how much money is spent, but what proportion to the GDP. In comparison, we are on par with wealthy nations in at risk areas. I also think that it is interesting that the US makes up the majority of defense spending of North America and Canada only takes up 2%. Canadians, time to pull your weight! ;)
What would be more interesting is to see numbers of personnel compared. I get the sense we have more money per soldier spent but that we have far fewer soldiers than China. Of course, no way would we be able to get accurate numbers on this, but it would be cool to know.
Well if we factor
per capita equivalences we still would be spending half as much .....
kinda sucks, but we know we can get away with it and have universal healthcare until the US gets pissed at us enough to say "Screw It lets invade".....
oh in response to JH,
USA - Canada's PMSing, bitchy, emotionaly needy, butchy gal-pal
tee-hee
Quote from: LongBlade on March 20, 2012, 05:48:35 PM
All joking aside, the unrest in Colombia is hardly encouraging if you're a neighbor. And the real estate they have to cover is respectable.
Also, I would keep a wary eye on Venezuela as long as
Nero Chavez is in power.
The "middle panel" is not important. It would matter if defence should be looked at in terms of how much is it putting us in the hole? That is the wrong perspective IMO. You either need a level of capability to ward off an attacker or not. Is the size of the budget warranted for fighting Russia for example? No, they have less than 1/10th the budget. Unless you want a chance fighting the whole world at once, with no help from allies, it seems a bizarre waste of domestic capital. The money doesn't even go to troops its mostly to big corporations for fancy toys.
At least Canada is looking at drones while reconsidering the F35. We also have a navy of exploding seals which are very dangerous. Especially the big walrus ones - tooth shrapnel.
It really should be stated that when a country has an advantage in size of GDP, you dont piss it away by spending the same as others on necessities. Should a billionaire spend the same percentage on food as a middle class shmo? No, he will kill himself if he eats that much. When defence gets too big it destroys the country just like Canada is at risk of killing itself with healthcare salaries.
Dont be coy SoM, spit out the whole story on the effect of the cost of the legions on Rome.
Are the US defense expenditures in Asia counted in the chart by region? I ask because I've never gotten over the scope of USN activity outside of the USA. Most nation's entire navies cannot compare to the US 6th Fleet (based in Italy) or the US 7th Fleet (based in Japan).