The United States’ military is currently the most active participant in the world. However, I believe the United States should pursue a more retrenchment role, reigning in the military and its use to a more responsible rate. The costs of US defense spending are massive and unsustainable; while the frequency of wars continue to increase. Furthermore, massive military spending to support other countries incentivizes allies to forgo their own defense spending, viewing it as unnecessary.
The United States’ military expenditure ranks at number one, totaling more than the next eight countries combined. Thirty-six percent of the world’s total military spending is from the US alone (Tian). America’s military expenditure is expected to grow to even …show more content…
The Iraq War was advertised in this same fashion. Former Defense Secretary for the Bush Administration, Donald Rumsfeld, said in 2002, “U.S. military is stronger than it was during the Persian Gulf War, while Iraq's armed forces are weaker. Five days or five weeks or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last any longer than that” (Esterbrook). However, the Iraq War greatly exceeded Rumsfeld’s expectations, lasting eight years and two administrations. This number doesn’t include the return of US forces back into Iraq in 2014, attempting to halt the advances of ISIS. The Afghanistan War began in 2001 and still continues to this day, seemingly with no end in sight. The United States also has engaged in multiple costly humanitarian interventions, attempting to defend human rights, suppress undesirable movements, and install democracies; involving themselves in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Libya, and Syria.
Instead of using its military strength as a strategy for deterrence, it’s more often used as a tool for engagement in overseas operations. The United States’ large military budget, in my opinion, has resulted in more conflicts. When you spend hundreds of billions of dollars on something, you’re going to want to use it; especially if it is under …show more content…
NATO alliance members are especially guilty of this. Twenty-three out of the 29 countries fail to reach the NATO guideline of 2% of GDP expenditure going towards defense. Instead, the median percentage of alliance members fall short at 1.31%, with America spending considerably higher than any other at 3.58% of GDP. As of 2017, US defense expenditure makes up more than two-thirds of total military spending by all NATO countries combined; exhibiting a clear lack of burden sharing by members. Only because of the US, does the alliance reach their total goal of 2%. Omitting the United States, remaining NATO members only reach an average of 1.46%. America’s contribution raises total GDP military spending by a near entire percentage point at 2.43% (“Defence Expenditure of NATO”).
The current strategy of the United States is to use its vast size and superiority as leverage to try and push other allies to contribute more to their own military. However, this approach hasn’t worked and will continue to not work. The United States actually contributes to the lazy spending behavior by other countries. Because the US provides so much protection around the world, other nations don’t see building up their own military as a necessity. And when those countries cut military spending, it forces the United States to increase their own trying to keep
The United States’ military expenditure ranks at number one, totaling more than the next eight countries combined. Thirty-six percent of the world’s total military spending is from the US alone (Tian). America’s military expenditure is expected to grow to even …show more content…
The Iraq War was advertised in this same fashion. Former Defense Secretary for the Bush Administration, Donald Rumsfeld, said in 2002, “U.S. military is stronger than it was during the Persian Gulf War, while Iraq's armed forces are weaker. Five days or five weeks or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last any longer than that” (Esterbrook). However, the Iraq War greatly exceeded Rumsfeld’s expectations, lasting eight years and two administrations. This number doesn’t include the return of US forces back into Iraq in 2014, attempting to halt the advances of ISIS. The Afghanistan War began in 2001 and still continues to this day, seemingly with no end in sight. The United States also has engaged in multiple costly humanitarian interventions, attempting to defend human rights, suppress undesirable movements, and install democracies; involving themselves in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Libya, and Syria.
Instead of using its military strength as a strategy for deterrence, it’s more often used as a tool for engagement in overseas operations. The United States’ large military budget, in my opinion, has resulted in more conflicts. When you spend hundreds of billions of dollars on something, you’re going to want to use it; especially if it is under …show more content…
NATO alliance members are especially guilty of this. Twenty-three out of the 29 countries fail to reach the NATO guideline of 2% of GDP expenditure going towards defense. Instead, the median percentage of alliance members fall short at 1.31%, with America spending considerably higher than any other at 3.58% of GDP. As of 2017, US defense expenditure makes up more than two-thirds of total military spending by all NATO countries combined; exhibiting a clear lack of burden sharing by members. Only because of the US, does the alliance reach their total goal of 2%. Omitting the United States, remaining NATO members only reach an average of 1.46%. America’s contribution raises total GDP military spending by a near entire percentage point at 2.43% (“Defence Expenditure of NATO”).
The current strategy of the United States is to use its vast size and superiority as leverage to try and push other allies to contribute more to their own military. However, this approach hasn’t worked and will continue to not work. The United States actually contributes to the lazy spending behavior by other countries. Because the US provides so much protection around the world, other nations don’t see building up their own military as a necessity. And when those countries cut military spending, it forces the United States to increase their own trying to keep