Gross overkill

dominated that entire area, including Israel/ Palestine.

The exact number is arguable, but the U. S. definitely has over 500 military installations around the world exclusive of Marine Corps embassy detachments. Add this to the fact that our military spending exceeds that of the next eight nations combined and is almost four times that of our nearest rival, China, and we have gross overkill. We also have more than ten modern aircraft carriers to China’s one, and that one out of date.

In his 1961 farewell address President Eisenhower warned of the inherent dangers from the powerful military-industrial complex, a consortium of defense industry executives and high-ranking military staff officers responsible for Defense Department purchasing. This cozy arrangement has probably kept our defense spending unnecessarily high. Interestingly, when many of these staff officers retire they step into cushy jobs with the same companies from which they have been purchasing military goods.

In another shrewd strategy defense industry contractors are careful to locate as many plants and subcontractors in as many different geographical areas as possible in order to exert political pressure from as many different congressional districts as possible.

I think it is entirely conceivable that we could reduce our military spending by thirty percent or more and still maintain a comfortable superiority over any potential enemies. It is also within reason that a reduction in offensive weapons on our part might pressure the Chinese into doing the same. Their overall budget is tighter than ours and their domestic economy is not nearly as sustainable. The Chinese need to cut their defense spending and might even be receptive to a mutual arms reduction proposal.

In a recent survey by the American Society of Civil Engineers, much of our infrastructure — e.g. highways, dams, levees, bridges, clean water supply, flood control facilities, airports, school buildings and other critical structures — were rated no higher than “D” (unsatisfactory). Our public schools scored 21st in science and 17th in math and reading compared to other developed nations. While we might have the capacity to bomb the rest of the world into oblivion, unless some immediate changes are made, they will eat our lunch in the market place.

George B. Reed Jr., who lives in Rossville, can be reached by email at reed1600@bellsouth.net.