End Iraq war, close military bases

President Bush and Congress have sacrificed 4,000 soliders' lives and $1 trillion because they said there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

[Wayne in Virginia]

Generally speaking, Mr. Myers, I agree with your assessment; we should draw down from some of our overseas commitments. Unfortunately, the reality is that we cannot draw back from ALL of them. There ARE on-going, real-time concerns about whether those allied countries in which those bases reside could present a strong enough defense, in the event of a cross-border incursion or all-out attack. Of course, it's debatable over whether we should even be there in the first place, but I'll let the politicians debate that one. Common sense tells me that we're not maintaining these bases simply because we like the people over there. We're there because those areas represent a strategic, forward base from which WE could launch an attack or a counter-offensive, with all the basic military infrastructure already in place for us to do so. World politics is a shifting, ever-changing entity--someone who is our enemy now could become our friend later on, and once again the U.S. positions itself into a new culture, a new environment, to meet a new challenge militarily and politically. Call it 'the nature of the beast', if you will, but it's the reality of life as it is now. However, in response to these amorphous, ever-changing challenges, I must agree with you--the U.S. should continually re-evaluate its commitments, and reduce or eliminate those forward bases which are no longer deemed necessary or vital for the security of the host country. (Germany comes to mind). Case in point: the U.S.Navy closed its largest naval installation, the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. The effect on the local economy has been mitigated, and the base has been re-absorbed into the local real estate development plans. If it can successfully be done there, it can be done elsewhere.

[eights and aces]

unfortunately our benevolent government chooses to close bases in the conus thus devastating even more small community's economies. we may be the greatest nation in the world but certainly not the most intelligent

[Avis]

Everybody likes to yell about welfare spending but the truth is the vast majority of your federal tax dollars goes to the military.

America spends more on her military than all other countries COMBINED.

[Tank]

I love the smell of fear tactics from liberals and stupidity in the morning!

[EASY MONEY]

I guess that most of you have not seen the pictures of MIG-25 fighter planes that have been found buried in the sands of Iraq. They removed the wings and then covered the planes with a special covering before burying them. Who knows what else is buried. I read that ten planes were buried, I guess they thought we would go away and they could dig them out and fly them again.

[walt]

EASY MONEY wrote:

I guess that most of you have not seen the pictures of MIG-25 fighter planes that have been found buried in the sands of Iraq. They removed the wings and then covered the planes with a special covering before burying them. Who knows what else is buried. I read that ten planes were buried, I guess they thought we would go away and they could dig them out and fly them again.

Nope ,didn't hear about that one. So we dug up the Iraqi air force. Wow! What a threat !!!

[goon]

there is something like 25 US military bases surrounding the majority of what's left of the world oil in the middle east and the caspian basin(the "stan" countries).

Now that the world is at peak oil you can see why we invaded iraq and afghanistan -to control this oil with military power

[The Lib Terminator]

Larry,

I do thank you for the service in Korea. I have a brother who was their. It ain't no picnic. But on this 4th of July we do honor and celebrate all those who served in war and in peace.

But the fact is, if America is no longer willing to protect herself, lets just turn our country over the the Mullahs. Then we can bring all those serving in the military home. Then we can live and worship as the Mullahs dictate. Does that sound like fun to you?

The fact is the most important and legitimate function of our government is to form a military to protect and defend America and to allow her to live in peace. Would you prefer to have Al Queda bases in every state in the union from which they would kill Americans here?

The fact is the military and those who serve honorably do us all a noble service by keeping America free.

Sorry I disagree with you whole heartedly. I think you are plain wrong. You sound like you turned extremist on America.

Too bad.

For Cross, Gun & Oil

Terminating liberals at will

liberalismisasin.com

[Coolmind]

bush is building a $1B embasssy and as many as 86 permanent military bases in Iraq. He is tying the hands of USA for decades to stay there, no matter what the next admin wants to do.

bush and cheney should be hanged... bush is just his puppet

[Coolmind]

http://mindprod.com/politics/iraqwarpix.html

go to this site and see what bush has done

[Wilson Fertz]

Coolmind wrote:

bush is building a $1B embasssy and as many as 86 permanent military bases in Iraq. He is tying the hands of USA for decades to stay there, no matter what the next admin wants to do.
bush and cheney should be hanged... bush is just his puppet

Maliki the Iraqi goof would have the U.S. stay forever so he can just sit on his a$$.
It's not his Treasury or his troops to worry about but he uses both to the hilt.

www.costofwar.com

[Gary]

eights and aces wrote:

unfortunately our benevolent government chooses to close bases in the conus thus devastating even more small community's economies. we may be the greatest nation in the world but certainly not the most intelligent

The object of Military bases is not to stimulate any given economy. The object is to provide military training and staging areas to be used for the country's defense, at the lowest cost possible. When they're not needed anymore they should be closed down. It's not the government's job to provide you employment.

[falasha]

We screwed up and invaded Iraq and destroyed the infrastructure. Now we have to stay until we go broke. If we leave there will be huge massacre and will be on the karma of our children's children.

[goon]

we're already broke. Petrodollar recycling keeps our currency from achieving toilet paper status.That's why its a big no-no if you try to sell oil in Euros, like Saddam did starting in early 2000.

[Gary]

falasha wrote:

We screwed up and invaded Iraq and destroyed the infrastructure. Now we have to stay until we go broke. If we leave there will be huge massacre and will be on the karma of our children's children.

Karma?

[Sensible]

Avis wrote:

Everybody likes to yell about welfare spending but the truth is the vast majority of your federal tax dollars goes to the military.
America spends more on her military than all other countries COMBINED.

Avis, you are wrong about the percentage of military spending. Look up the federal budget instead of mouthing false statements.

Military spending, even with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan included, represents well below half of the current federal budget, and has not been close to 50% of the budget for at least three decades.

Why Avis, don't you do some investigating of what you say before you say it????

Avis, facts wrong, once again.

[Avis]

Sensible wrote:

<quoted text>
Avis, you are wrong about the percentage of military spending. Look up the federal budget instead of mouthing false statements.
Military spending, even with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan included, represents well below half of the current federal budget, and has not been close to 50% of the budget for at least three decades.
Why Avis, don't you do some investigating of what you say before you say it????
Avis, facts wrong, once again.

From Wikipedia although, trust me, I can find lots of other sites to reference. Keep in mind that the Bush Administration doesn't include the $ for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the budget--those are add on costs.

The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined [7] and is over eight times larger than the official military budget of China.(Note that this comparison is done in nominal value US dollars and thus is not adjusted for purchasing power parity.) The United States and its close allies are responsible for about two-thirds of the world's military spending (of which, in turn, the U.S. is responsible for the majority).

Military discretionary spending accounts for more than half of the U.S. federal discretionary spending, which is all of the U.S. federal government budget that is not appropriated for mandatory spending.[8]

In 2003, the United States spent about 47% of the world's total military spending of US$910.6 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The United States spends 3.7% of its GDP on its military, more than France's 2.6% and less than Saudi Arabia's 10%.[9] This is historically low for the United States since it peaked in 1944 at 37.8% of GDP (it reached the lowest point of 3.0% in 1999-2001). Even during the peak of the Vietnam War the percentage reached a high of 9.4% in 1968.[10]

[Sensible]

Avis wrote:

<quoted text>
From Wikipedia although, trust me, I can find lots of other sites to reference. Keep in mind that the Bush Administration doesn't include the $ for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the budget--those are add on costs.
The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined [7] and is over eight times larger than the official military budget of China.(Note that this comparison is done in nominal value US dollars and thus is not adjusted for purchasing power parity.) The United States and its close allies are responsible for about two-thirds of the world's military spending (of which, in turn, the U.S. is responsible for the majority).
Military discretionary spending accounts for more than half of the U.S. federal discretionary spending, which is all of the U.S. federal government budget that is not appropriated for mandatory spending.[8]
In 2003, the United States spent about 47% of the world's total military spending of US$910.6 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The United States spends 3.7% of its GDP on its military, more than France's 2.6% and less than Saudi Arabia's 10%.[9] This is historically low for the United States since it peaked in 1944 at 37.8% of GDP (it reached the lowest point of 3.0% in 1999-2001). Even during the peak of the Vietnam War the percentage reached a high of 9.4% in 1968.[10]

Very clever to add in the word "discretionary" to try to wiggle out of your factual error in your initial post in which you said military spending eats up the vast majority of tax payer dollars.

Your initial post was factually wrong about military spending as a portion of the budget.

You are trying to wiggle out of it by citing statistics on the percentage of GDP. I did not call you on that part of your post, but since you were wrong on your initial post, rather than admitting it, you sneak in "discretionary" in your response, and cite GDP data that I did not oppose in the first place.

Next time Avis launches one of her diatribes, let's all remember she got her facts wrong, and instead of admitting it, tried to dodge it.

Pathetic Avis, just pathetic.

[Avis]

Sensible wrote:

<quoted text>
Very clever to add in the word "discretionary" to try to wiggle out of your factual error in your initial post in which you said military spending eats up the vast majority of tax payer dollars.
Your initial post was factually wrong about military spending as a portion of the budget.
You are trying to wiggle out of it by citing statistics on the percentage of GDP. I did not call you on that part of your post, but since you were wrong on your initial post, rather than admitting it, you sneak in "discretionary" in your response, and cite GDP data that I did not oppose in the first place.
Next time Avis launches one of her diatribes, let's all remember she got her facts wrong, and instead of admitting it, tried to dodge it.
Pathetic Avis, just pathetic.

From post #3
America spends more on her military budget than all other countries COMBINED.

From Wikipedia:

The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined [7] and is over eight times larger than the official military budget of China.

Sorry, I don't see the problem here. Oh wait, I do. You can't dispute the message so you're demonizing the messanger.

How very Republican.

[Tank]

Avis wrote:

<quoted text>
From post #3
America spends more on her military budget than all other countries COMBINED.
From Wikipedia:
The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined [7] and is over eight times larger than the official military budget of China.
Sorry, I don't see the problem here. Oh wait, I do. You can't dispute the message so you're demonizing the messanger.
How very Republican.

Ha ha, you liberal moron. You cannot even see your own mistake!!!.

"America spends more on her military budget than all other countries COMBINED."

You backed that claim with this quote,

"The 2005 U.S. military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined "

So, you said that we outspend the world, yet your own "evidence" says that it is ALMOST more than the world, it is in fact NOT true that we outspend!!!