12 interesting FACTS you didn't know about US military

Daredevil

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12 interesting FACTS you didn't know about US military


The United States spends more on its military than rest of the top 15 nations with the highest military expenditure. The rest of the list includes China ($119 bn), UK ($59.6 bn), France ($59.3bn), Russia ($58.7bn), Japan ($54.5bn), Germany ($45.2bn), Saudi Arabia ($45.2bn), India ($41.3bn), Italy ($37bn), Brazil ($33.5bn), South Korea ($27.6bn), Australia ($24bn), Canada ($22.8bn) and Turkey ($17.5bn). The US spends $698 billion. (Figures courtesy Stockholm International Peace Research Institute).


The total known land area occupied by US bases and facilities is 15,654 square miles -- bigger than Washington DC, Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined.


By 2033, the US will be paying $59 billion a year to its veterans injured in the wars


In 2007, the amount of money labeled 'wasted' or 'lost' in Iraq -- $11 billion -- could pay 220,000 teachers salaries


Defence spending is higher today than at any time since the height of World War II


The yearly cost of stationing one soldier in Iraq could feed 60 American families


Each day in Afghanistan costs the government more than it did to build the entire Pentagon


In 2008, the Pentagon spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earned in a year


Decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US Defence Department still has more than 40 generals, admirals or civilian equivalents based in Europe


The amount the government has spent compensating radiation victims of nuclear testing ($1.5 billion) could fully educate 13,000 American kids


The Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety


The US has 5 per cent of the world's population -- but almost 50% of the world's total military expenditure
 

Phenom

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Liberal Hogwash,

These are the cost of being a superpower, if any country wants that status, it has to be willing to pay for it.

What do authors of the article want? Should their country just run away from any conflict and just spend money inside their nation?
 

Bangalorean

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^^ Yes - this is the cost of being a superpower. I am sure the gains far outweigh the losses.
 

W.G.Ewald

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Defence spending is higher today than at any time since the height of World War II.
It is much lower as a percentage of total spending than when Kennedy was president.

The Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety.
I doubt it. For one thing, the federal government gives money to the states for HEW etc. The defense budget is nowhere near the total expeditures for social programs.

Now I will need to go find credible sources for these statements.

*Sigh* :)
 

Adux

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Its only 4%-6% of their GDP,

dang, cry me a river.


Semper Fi.
 

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