Plan B Forum

[T]he lion's share of [the Pentagon's budget] is not spent by the Pentagon on protecting American citizens. It goes to supporting U.S. military activities, including interventions, throughout the world. ... Americans are willing to pay for defense, but they would probably be much less willing to spend billions of dollars if the money were labeled "Foreign Military Operations."

(Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, World Military Spending (2012) (quoting Center for Defense Information, The Billions for "Defense" Jeopardize Our Safety (2000) (first brackets in SIPRI)).)

So pull all the bases and all the soldiers back into the continental USA.I have no problem with that.

What do you think would be the relative cost of basing sailors in San Diego vs Manila?

Now really try.

yrs,
rubato

It wouldn't be easy to calculate that. Running costs might be lower. On the other hand, the money would be spent inside the US economy with who knows how much benefit to domestic business? OTOH2 all the drunks and prostitution offences might cost the local economy. OTOH3 home leaves would be less expensive as would relocating spouses and children (more applicable to Army bases perhaps). OTOH4 it's certainly cheaper to sail to the Sea of Japan from Manila than from San Diego. And so on

Why assume that forces withdrawn from foreign countries need to be based in the US? If they are not necessary to defend the US and/or to fulfill our treaty obligations to nations which are fulfilling their treaty obligations to us, then they should not be based anywhere. They should not exist at all.

But if we cut the Defense Department by 50%, how will we ever be able to maintain the navy we need to sink all the ships of the countries that refuse to pay us tribute for patrolling the sea lanes?

If we decline to continue conferring that benefit on other countries, then there obviously won't be anything to collect tribute for, will there?

Please try to do at least a little bit better.

Lord Jim wrote:But if we cut the Defense Department by 50%, how will we ever be able to maintain the navy we need to sink all the ships of the countries that refuse to pay us tribute for patrolling the sea lanes?

Do you really think that any country would be brave enough to refuse Jim?

Not while the USA still has nukes, no.

It is extremely unlikely that any country would refuse to do something which it is not asked to do.