What do we have a defense budget for?

[dsc]

Yesterday I was listening to Rush Limbaugh and was appalled at the fact that private people are sending not only air conditioners but medical supplies to our troops. What in heaven's name do we spend upwards of 300 billion a year on? If we can't support our own troops in Iraq then how can we even begin to fix Iraq? This is an outrage and frankly should lead to the firing of Bush.

[terryg11]

1. yeah, I asked the same thing last year

when my kid's school was doing these drives to get all sorts of things like everyday supplies to send to the troops and while I thought it was a nice "we support you gesture" still had to ask what the hell my taxes were going to. I was told that may not be appropriate to bring up at PTA or ice cream social night. still, I wondered what the heck?

[ComerPerro]

2. In a word

Star Wars

Ok, two words.

But its shit like that which gets a ton of funding.

[incontrovertible]

5. well, to be fair

some of that shit is eminently useful. Cruise missiles and the like. The Trident submarine, and its successor stealth subs, are the best peacemakers in the American military, offering a lot more "bang for the buck" than any kind of move-troops-around capability.

A lot of it's flat off-the-books projects, too, like the Aurora. Pray we never need it, but if we do, you'll be glad we had it.

[Composed Thinker]

3. Think about it

I'm not sure of the exact cost of military equipment, but let's say, trying to be reasonable, that a fighter jet costs $20 million. Five of them is $100 million, 50 of them cost $1 billion, and 500 of them cost $10 billion.

[JI7]

4. to find osama bin laden ?

heheh