{"id":1808118,"date":"2023-01-17T09:49:42","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T14:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1808118"},"modified":"2023-01-17T09:56:36","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T14:56:36","slug":"a-trillion-dollars-a-year-will-it-buy-america-a-better-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-trillion-dollars-a-year-will-it-buy-america-a-better-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"A Trillion Dollars a Year &#8211; Will It Buy America a Better Defense?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fa-trillion-dollars-a-year-will-it-buy-america-a-better-defense%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1808118&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47-->\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/dreamstime_m_26392694-1024x683-1.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\"   style=\"display:none\"><\/div>\n<p>While the Pentagon had a very Merry Christmas, American taxpayers only received a lump of coal.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Congress approved an Omnibus Spending Bill that gave the funds to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/News-Stories\/Article\/Article\/3252968\/biden-signs-national-defense-authorization-act-into-law\/\">Pentagon<\/a> $45 billion more than originally requested \u2013 a record $816.7 billion dollars \u2013 out of $858 billion for the national defense establishment. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/budget\/products.asp\">Veteran\u2019s Administration<\/a>The Intelligence Community requested $301.4 billion. This is not deferred defense spending. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dni.gov\/index.php\/what-we-do\/ic-budget\">Military Intelligence Program<\/a>. There\u2019s also probably something squirreled away at the Department of Homeland Security, but you get the picture.<\/p>\n<p>And don\u2019t forget the interest on the money the U.S. borrows, much of it from foreigners, to pay for national defense.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s not enough for some.<\/p>\n<p>H.R. H.R. <a href=\"https:\/\/responsiblestatecraft.org\/2021\/09\/02\/lawmakers-pave-way-for-1-2-trillion-in-new-military-spending-over-next-10-years\/\">defense hawks<\/a>The defense budget should be increased to 4.5% GDP or $1.2 trillion. McMaster justifies the budget hike <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hudson.org\/research\/17905-us-restraint-has-created-an-unstable-and-dangerous-world\">American \u201crestraint\u201d<\/a> China and Russia are to blame for the aggressive moves of China and Russia, which will be shocking news to residents of Afghanistan and the Middle East who were at the cutting edge of U.S. restraint.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, however, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FaceTheNation\/status\/1609595718213197825\">McMaster claimed<\/a> The United States is \u201cunderinvested in defense\u201d and is unable to deter China, and positively noted Japan\u2019s intent to double its defense budget. General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff advocates for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/News-Stories\/Article\/Article\/2433856\/chairman-discusses-future-defense-budgets\/\">3%-5% real increase<\/a> To the budget each fiscal year \u201cpreparing the military to meet the threats of the future while fighting the battles of today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Semler, analyst, observes that \u201cIn just two years, Biden has signed off on over <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephensemler\/status\/1611133644646584332\">$1.72 trillion<\/a> in military spending \u2014 $737 billion more than what the infrastructure bill and Inflation Reduction Act provide over *ten* years\u201d That&#8217;s what it is all about <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephensemler\/status\/1613224432700624896\">$240 billion<\/a> The omnibus bill spending \u201cnonmilitary programs\u201d It is for \u201cmilitary- and law enforcement\u2013related activities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And, in 2022, the U.S. spent almost a defense budget\u2019s worth of money \u2013 $724 billion \u2013 on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/246439\/interest-expense-on-us-public-debt\/\">interest on the public debt<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>However, despite this record-breaking payday the military is set up for failure in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Maj. Gen. John Ferrari, US Army (ret.) has pointed out that the Pentagon\u2019s unrealistic, that is, too low, <a href=\"https:\/\/breakingdefense.com\/2022\/04\/how-the-pentagons-bad-inflation-math-made-a-hollow-budget\/\">inflation assumptions<\/a> Are hiding a future $75 billion shortfall. \u201chollow force\u201d It will be more difficult to do so in the 1980s. According to the National Defense Industrial Association, the Pentagon will need $42 billion more next year in order to make up for the loss. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/pentagon-needs-an-extra-42-bln-due-soaring-inflation-industry-group-2022-09-12\/\">inflation losses<\/a>, and that from 2021 to 2023 the total loss of the Pentagon\u2019s buying power will exceed $110 billion.<\/p>\n<p>And even if inflation moderates in line with the administration\u2019s hopes, the military will still be in trouble as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/aerospace-and-defense\/our-insights\/the-773-billion-question-inflations-impact-on-defense-spending\">defense sector inflation<\/a> It is usually 20 basis points higher that the Consumer Price Index and, according McKinsey,: \u201cDoD could lose over $100 billion in purchasing power within five years if the economy reenters a period of high inflation and low nominal topline increases in the defense budget, similar to what happened in the 1970s.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This means that there will be lots of yelping to get more money.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What if the military receives less money?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kevin McCarthy, House Speaker, accepted the Freedom Caucus demand. <a href=\"https:\/\/responsiblestatecraft.org\/2023\/01\/10\/cutting-the-pentagon-budget-wont-harm-us-security\/\">freeze federal spending<\/a> Defense could be cut by 75 to 100 billion dollars at the 2022 level,<\/p>\n<p>The hawks did not react as expected. However, William Hartung, an analyst, was able to predict the outcome. <a href=\"https:\/\/responsiblestatecraft.org\/2023\/01\/10\/cutting-the-pentagon-budget-wont-harm-us-security\/\">argues<\/a> that a near-trillion-dollar defense budget hasn\u2019t deterred guys like Putin and Xi, but it has enriched the five biggest defense contractors\u00a0 that swallow between $150 and $200 billion of the defense budget, and deliver most major weapons behind schedule and over budget. He advises to pay attention to 2021<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbo.gov\/publication\/57128\">The Congressional Budget Office study<\/a> \u201cthat outlined three options for saving over $1 trillion in Pentagon spending over the next ten years without damaging our defense capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The military is desperate for cash and its reputation suffers.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Ronald Reagan Institute\u2019s November 2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reaganfoundation.org\/media\/359990\/reagan-foundation-survey-executive-memo-112822.pdf\">national defense survey<\/a> It was found that only 48% of those surveyed reported the results. \u201ca great deal of trust and confidence in the military\u201d \u2013 up three points from 2021, but still down 22 points from 2018. The survey also found a continued decline from 2021 in confidence in the military\u2019s ability to keep the country safe (50% down from 57%) and act in professional and nonpolitical manner (35% down from 40%).<\/p>\n<p>And the feelings about the military\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reaganfoundation.org\/media\/359966\/reagan-survey-2022-charts-112822.pdf\">politicization<\/a> both the left-right and right are equally valid, although for different reasons, the right tends to be more dominant. \u201cwoke\u201d The left and programs are concerned about the presence of far-right extremists among the ranks.<\/p>\n<p>Large majorities support increased spending, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reaganfoundation.org\/media\/359966\/reagan-survey-2022-charts-112822.pdf\">defense and border security<\/a>There is also interest in learning more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reaganfoundation.org\/media\/359966\/reagan-survey-2022-charts-112822.pdf\">engaged foreign policy<\/a>An increase in foreign assistance. A Rasmussen poll has shown that 50% of likely voters are not aware of the results. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2023\/01\/10\/poll-majority-believe-1-7-trillion-omnibus-was-a-disaster-for-america\/\">disagreed<\/a> It was an omnibus bill that cost $1.7 trillion and had 4,155 pages. \u201cdisaster\u201d The U.S. may be open to the idea of a cheaper way to engage in the world, which could mean that the American public might be more open to the idea. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brown.edu\/news\/2021-09-01\/costsofwar\">$8 trillion<\/a> After 9-11, the United States won.<\/p>\n<p>The military isn\u2019t the only public institution suffering a <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/352316\/americans-confidence-major-institutions-dips.aspx\">bad reputation<\/a>However, it is used to basking on public esteem and may not know how it can recover.<\/p>\n<p>The military leaders&#8217; actions in the aftermath of the violence at the Capitol on January 6 may have contributed to the slide in the survey.<sup>Th<\/sup>. And the chaotic retreat from Kabul in August 2021 \u2013 the first time the American people witnessed a defeat in real-time \u2013 also probably pushed the poll numbers lower.<\/p>\n<p>The Pentagon called it a &#8220;defeat in Afghanistan&#8221;. \u201cmission transition,\u201d Social programs are more important than battle skills for commanders, a growing epidemic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.protectourdefenders.com\/factsheet\/\">sexual assault<\/a>An all-time record <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uso.org\/stories\/2664-military-suicide-rates-are-at-an-all-time-high-heres-how-were-trying-to-help\">suicide rate<\/a>The inability or unwillingness to pass an exam. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/pentagon\/2020\/11\/16\/the-pentagon-failed-its-audit-again-but-sees-progress\/\">clean audit<\/a>,\u201d  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/investigations\/interactive\/2022\/australia-nuclear-submarines-us-admirals\/\">self-dealing<\/a> by senior officers\u2026no wonder the services are missing their <a href=\"https:\/\/federalnewsnetwork.com\/defense-main\/2022\/09\/several-military-branches-poised-to-miss-recruitment-targets-for-fiscal-2022\/\">recruiting targets<\/a>, which will further weaken support for big defense budgets as a family with someone in uniform is more likely to support the Pentagon\u2019s requests.<\/p>\n<p>America\u2019s military leaders may be unreconciled by the ending of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, which wasn\u2019t marked by a victory parade through Red Square, but by Soviet citizens angry because the planned economy couldn\u2019t deliver decent household appliances. They missed the Big Game, and they may be convinced that a small proxy war with Russia will help taxpayers forget about Afghanistan&#8217;s defeat and all the lost lives and dollars.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unique in the world\u2019s militaries, the Pentagon doesn\u2019t think it is responsible for defending its country\u2019s borders. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Instead of defending <em>America<\/em>, it defends <em>American interests<\/em>, which are often the mutable interests of the political class, and are not viewed overseas as positively as they are in Washington, D.C. green rooms and think tanks, many staffed by people whose children aren\u2019t in uniform.<\/p>\n<p>The military is an enterprise. It relies on a generous budget to not just pay itself, but also the captive defense contractors that build weapons and provide services \u2013 and hire former servicemembers. It\u2019s not \u201cMilitary, Inc.\u201d\u00a0Like in <a href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/india\/1134516\/inside-pakistans-biggest-business-conglomerate-the-pakistani-military\/\">Pakistan<\/a> Or <a href=\"https:\/\/carnegie-mec.org\/2019\/11\/25\/egypt-s-military-now-controls-much-of-its-economy.-is-this-wise-pub-80281\">Egypt<\/a> but the military\u2019s economic interests are often opposed to those\u00a0 of the American people, calling to mind Eric Hoffer: \u201cWhat starts out here [the U.S.] as a mass movement ends up as a racket, a cult, or a corporation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>NATO Secretary General and President Joe Biden have been calling for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2022\/03\/09\/biden-sacrifices-ukraine\/\">sacrifice<\/a> To defeat Russia and bring Ukraine into NATO and the European Union, \u00a0Stoltenberg <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/geopolitical\/we-must-do-more-ukraine-even-if-costs-food-fuel-are-high-western-populations-nato\">admits<\/a> \u201cit could take years\u2026even if the costs are high, not only for military support, also because of rising energy and food prices.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Congress will be giddy gifted in 2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crfb.org\/blogs\/congress-approved-113-billion-aid-ukraine-2022\">$113 billion<\/a> In war aid and economic assistance to Kyiv, but nobody has publicly discussed the cost of replacing military equipment shipped to Ukraine. However, the U.S. Secretary to the Navy has admitted that the aid has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/military\/decision-arm-ourselves-or-arm-ukraine-navy-secretary-admits-crisis-us-defense-stockpiles\">depleted<\/a> The stocks the U.S. must have for its own defense.<\/p>\n<p>According to the, a lot of the weapons shipped to Ukraine are at risk of being diverted. <a href=\"https:\/\/ocindex.net\/country\/ukraine\">Organized Crime Index<\/a> Which reports \u201cUkraine is believed to have one of the largest arms trafficking markets in Europe. While it has long been a key link in the global arms trade, its role has only intensified since the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In other words, just because it is fighting Russia, Ukraine hasn\u2019t become more virtuous.<\/p>\n<p>Right on time, we discovered that weapons intended for Ukraine were in the possession of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/geopolitical\/finland-says-ukraine-arms-ending-hands-criminal-gangs\">criminal gangs<\/a> In Finland, Sweden and Denmark, as well as the Netherlands. <a href=\"https:\/\/english.almayadeen.net\/news\/politics\/weapons-delivered-to-ukraine-beginning-to-filter-to-africa:\">Boko Haram and ISIS<\/a> Africa.<\/p>\n<p>The American taxpayers will be grateful for a quick resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict so that NATO can be handed to Europe and the U.S. can focus on Asia. France can finally get its European Union Army.<\/p>\n<p>NATO was wrong to imagine that the Russian army would be more dangerous than they imagined. Congress should address this analytic shortfall publicly. Europe should be able defend itself. NATO was not a true coalition. It was simply America defending Europe. While the generous U.S. budget enabled Europe to spend its money for social welfare and industrial protection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Freedom Caucus budget cut may get the attention of the E-Ring and motivate some reforms, though Congress can\u2019t put all the blame on the Pentagon as it legislated many of the military\u2019s inefficiencies into existence. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Congress should consider multi-year defense budgets to relieve contractors\u2019 planning uncertainty and reduce the cost of weapons systems; giving DoD authority to spend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dau.mil\/acquipedia\/Pages\/ArticleDetails.aspx?aid=2a9cba84-43bf-43ff-af23-4b6451e7c1bd\">Operations and Maintenance<\/a> Funds are spread across multiple fiscal years in order to reduce budget volatility and the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/warontherocks.com\/2018\/01\/reforming-use-lose-problem-defense-acquisition\/\">use it or lose it<\/a>\u201d Mentality; another round <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cato.org\/publications\/commentary\/we-desperately-need-close-more-military-bases\">military base closings<\/a> To drive infrastructure savings; review <a href=\"https:\/\/fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/misc\/R42501.pdf\">domestic content legislation<\/a> (the \u201cBuy America Act\u201d), and reexamining big-ticket programs like the $1.7 trillion dollar F-35 combat aircraft that has been plagued by delays, cost overruns, and technical faults, such as structural weaknesses, software glitches, faulty ejection seats, and a modernization program that is four years behind.<\/p>\n<p>According to a Reagan Institute poll, Americans want to continue to interact with the world. They recognize that China poses the greatest threat to the U.S. However, only 40% believe the U.S. should remain in the global arena. \u201cMore engaged and take the lead\u201d (51% in February 2021; this is down from 51%). This may give less room for military adventure and allow diplomacy to play a greater role. Only 25% of respondents worry about Pentagon bosses. \u201cMilitary leadership, such as officers and generals\u201d as the best in world (down 8 percentage points from 2021).<\/p>\n<p><strong>If Congress balances funding for diplomacy as well as the military and defense services that were deformed by the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, and the subsequent response to 9-11, engagement with the rest of the world can be improved. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Learn More \u201cresources,\u201d This is money. The State Department, Commerce Department and U.S. trade representative will be given clear instructions by the White House to help de-securitize international relations. They will emphasize free and fair trading, since foreign policy that does not provide economic benefits to the U.S. is a hobby for bureaucrats.<\/p>\n<p>As support for an indefinite involvement in Ukraine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2022\/12\/05\/american-support-ukraine-poll\/\">slipping<\/a>, now may be the time to push\u00a0 Ukraine, America\u2019s proxy, to restart negotiations with Russia, especially as the Republican Congress is dubious about sending even more aid to Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Another to-do item is to examine the effects America\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foreignaffairs.com\/united-states\/end-age-sanctions\">sanctions policy<\/a> has on trade and finance, as seen in the distortion of world supply chains \u2013 and the attendant shortages and price jumps that damage U.S. military readiness \u2013 caused by U.S. sanctions on Russia, and whoever else is the villain du jour.<\/p>\n<p>Washington\u2019s eagerness to sanction anyone and everyone is partly \u00a0responsible for the BRICS effort to create a <a href=\"https:\/\/markets.businessinsider.com\/news\/currencies\/dollar-dominance-russia-china-rouble-yuan-brics-reserve-currency-imf-2022-6\">new reserve currency<\/a> OPEC is a hot topic. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/news\/world\/articles\/2022-12-09\/saudi-arabia-gathers-chinas-xi-with-arab-leaders-in-new-era-of-ties\">selling oil to China<\/a> In exchange for Yuan, the United States will be permanently weaker.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of parroting the Pentagon\u2019s wish for budget increase of 3%-5% above inflation to fund another round of \u201cgreat power competition,\u201d the Republicans should hold hearings on how the nation\u2019s financial challenges will affect its strategic choices, and discuss the opportunity costs of the proposed unprecedented defense spending levels that are crowding out other important discretionary spending, taking the opportunity to remind the military of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/commercial_books\/CB137-1.html\">Bernard Brodie<\/a>\u2019s maxim, \u201cStrategy wears a dollar sign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Recently, Congress announced the creation of a bipartisan congressional committee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/congress\/2023\/01\/11\/congress-announces-commission-to-review-national-defense-strategy\/\">commission<\/a> \u201cwill examine President Joe Biden\u2019s 2022 National Defense Strategy and craft recommendations for its implementation.\u201d Although the names of familiar faces are used to attack the commission, there aren&#8217;t any economists who can examine the true cost of the defense strategy over the long-term and educate the public about the amount of debt that the Pentagon expects them all to assume.<\/p>\n<p>General Omar Bradley, the renowned commander of World War 2 observed. \u201c<em>Amateurs<\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em>talk strategy. Professionals talk <em>logistics<\/em><em>.<\/em>\u201d In a time when the U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/databank.worldbank.org\/data\/download\/GDP_PPP.pdf\">no longer commands<\/a> the world\u2019s economy as it did in 1945, America\u2019s commanders must also talk economics so they will understand an enemy that can bring a government to heel, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/politics\/the-return-of-the-bond-market-vigilantes\/ar-AAPnQ2N\">\u201cbond market vigilantes.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>In future wars, the Pentagon will have to understand war\u2019s impact on the global supply chain before the commanders make their recommendations to the President, who will also have to consider the supply chain effects on the U.S. and world economy. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The war may be fought in a way that minimizes shocks to the global economic. This will go against the grain and tend to forget about the military establishment. \u201cthe economy\u201d Great benefits program and cool gear get you paid.<\/p>\n<p>Pentagon leaders should focus on rebuilding the military\u2019s reputation with the public by:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Starting a conversation about how the military can help defend the country\u2019s borders. In the U.S., this is regarded as a civilian, law enforcement function, but it\u2019s time the taxpayers get something back for the money they grant the Pentagon every year, despite the aversion of the brass to this mission.<\/li>\n<li>Ending the military\u2019s epidemic of sexual assault and suicide, which are probably motivating responsible parents to keep their children away from military service.<\/li>\n<li>Senior officers must adhere to certain standards. The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fat_Leonard_scandal\">Fat Leonard bribery scandal<\/a> Current investigation into retired <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/06\/12\/ex-general-john-r-allen-under-fbi-probe-resigns-from-brookings-institution\/\">General John Allen<\/a> Incorrectly lobbing foreign interests is a sign to military leaders that they must stop preaching morality and ethics to their troops and instead practice what they preach. Additionally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.middleeasteye.net\/news\/us-new-house-bill-seeks-curb-foreign-influence-government-civil-society\">lifetime ban<\/a> The loyalty of retired senior officers who have worked for foreign interests is evident to them.<\/li>\n<li>Being upfront with the public about the true cost of the Pentagon\u2019s future strategy, which is a greater threat to the public fiscal health than anything Putin or Xi can dream up.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If the Pentagon was a publicly-traded company, the board of directors would have fired the managers and would themselves be the target of a shareholders\u2019 lawsuit. American taxpayers may be reluctant to \u201cpay any price, bear any burden\u201d For an expensive military, whose record since 1945 can be charitably described as \u201cmixed\u201d and is failing to deter America\u2019s enemies.<\/p>\n<p>James Durso (@james_durso), regularly comments on foreign policy and national-security matters. Durso spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy and has served in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other countries.<\/p>\n<div class=\"postdownload__copyright js-postdownload-copyright-text\">Credit Featured photo: Photo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamstime.com\/stock-images-money-dollars-background-image26392694\">26392694<\/a> \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamstime.com\/edwardgerges_info\">Edwardgerges<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamstime.com\/stock-photos\">Dreamstime.com<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the Pentagon had a very Merry Christmas, American taxpayers only received a lump of coal. The U.S. Congress approved an Omnibus Spending Bill that gave the funds to the Pentagon $45 billion more than originally requested \u2013 a record $816.7 billion dollars \u2013 out of $858 billion for the national defense establishment. The Veteran\u2019s &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1808121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[5374,5458,3998,5352,3819,3618],"class_list":["post-1808118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-america","tag-bongino","tag-defense","tag-dollars","tag-report","tag-riot"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1808118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1808118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1808118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1808121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1808118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1808118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1808118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}