Do you support the idea of the US dismantling its military?

[Deleted]

no but we should bring back all the troops and charge nations that wants to use our military

Capitalism at its finest

OT: I think the US could easily take a look at their budget and trim some fat, without the chinese or russian (or even the europeans just for the giggles) invading the second you don't have a several thousand fighter jets and ten aircraft carriers.

[N-7]

since US prosperity is predicated on the control/security of the world's oil supply (specifically maintaining the security of the saudi royal family), I'm gonna go with no...

The US should stop supporting that violent regime if they want to be though of as anything other than enemies by Middle Easterners.

[Zvinny]

Capitalism at its finest

OT: I think the US could easily take a look at their budget and trim some fat, without the chinese or russian (or even the europeans just for the giggles) invading the second you don't have a several thousand fighter jets and ten aircraft carriers.

What happens to those fighter pilots and sailors who planned on doing the 20 years they were promised and retiring, who now find themselves jobless?

[bayushisan]

No and the very idea is asinine.

To be sure there are things that need to change when it comes to spending, but dismantling it completely is just lunacy.

[N-7]

What happens to those fighter pilots and sailors who planned on doing the 20 years they were promised and retiring, who now find themselves jobless?

They find other jobs? It is a simple supply and demand when demand is low you start laying people.

[Deleted]

What happens to those fighter pilots and sailors who planned on doing the 20 years they were promised and retiring, who now find themselves jobless?

No need to start firing people, just slow recruitment over several years. The best solution is to plan 20-30 in advance rather than the immediate future.

[Deleted]

I'm sure there is a way in between "dismantling military" and "military spending crippling other aspects of society".

[Naxere]

Dismantle? No. Reduce spending and stop playing global police? Yes please.

[Mirishka]

In the light of Russia & Ukraine, I thought I'd toss this question out there to see how people feel. Plus a poll!

It wouldn't take a month for some of the more hostile places in the world to bomb us into the stone age if we did that. So no.

[Zvinny]

They find other jobs? It is a simple supply and demand when demand is low you start laying people.

Its really not that simple. Military personnel sign a contract, in which they give a certain amount of years, and at the end of the enlistment the government gives them something. 4 years gets you the GI bill, 20 gets you 50% of your pay for the rest of your life, and every year after 20 gets you a few percentage points more.

If the military were to just immediately retire those fighter jets and decommission those ships, they would have to break those airmen and sailors contracts, denying them what they were promised when they enlisted or were commissioned.

Making the military smaller over a long period of time and letting natural attrition run its course is the only fair way to do it for those service members currently serving, but that takes many years, which most voters who would support something like this wouldn't like.

[Khaza-R]

No need to cut the military at all. It just needs to reallocate resources. Less development in weaponry and more R&D into high utility areas with greater economic returns like communications, aerospace, transportation, alternative energy etc. Especially given the high number of college graduates enlisted since the economy tanked. They have arguably more talented minds than ever before.

Not to mention some branches like the USCG are actually understaffed.

[Ave07]

Cut the military and defend only our territories.

We don't need a base in Germany or Italy.

[jasdasm]

Dismantling the Military is a ridiculous idea considering the amount of enemies the USA has, the problem the US Military faces is the same as the British Armed Forces, too much waste and corruption. I will give you an example of how things are messed up....

The Royal Navy pays £1 for a small transistor that you pay 10p for in a hardware store, he reason it costs 90p extra is because it comes in a watertight bags that floats during a flood (lol?) and comes with a serial number. This is just one example, combine that with the other thousands of things each unit needs on a daily basis and you can see where the money is going, not to the men and women and not to new equipment, it is going to over priced firms that sell common items but "To military standard".

Stop making enemies ?

[Deleted]

What happens to those fighter pilots and sailors who planned on doing the 20 years they were promised and retiring, who now find themselves jobless?

Could use the money saved, and spend it on educating them and raising new jobs (infrastructure, rebuilding, repairing etc.).

[LilSaihah]

Cut it by 10-15% over, say, 5 years? I think that's healthy.

[Bisso]

The military cost and size is a consequence to the US foreign policy. While the World could benefit that every country reduce the size of their army (because it would mean we are at time of peace), it's just not the case right now. As oil is a limited resource, which is also in a growing demand, I'm quite sure we haven't seen the worst of it yet.

[PACOX]

If the US dismantles its military then what does that mean for all the countries under its defensive umbrella?

[Deleted]

Stop making enemies ?

Genius, why did no one think of this before?

[Zvinny]

Getting rid of people and equipment is the absolute wrong way to go about it, but there are many things we can save money on, I agree. For instance, when I was installing lights that inside a radio box, I had to order from a government contractor. Each light was 8 dollars. These things are literally the same lights on a Christmas tree, but they say Raytheon on the side.

Practically every sailor or soldier I know has similar stories, but politicians see retirement benefits and education spending as the thing to cut from the military for some reason.

[Khaza-R]

Cut it by 10-15% over, say, 5 years? I think that's healthy.

Well they did decrease spending by 7% last year. So its quite plausible.

If the US dismantles its military then what does that mean for all the countries under its defensive umbrella?

Increased military spending obviously.