Experts say Trump's military budget can't pay for buildup he wants

[afwjam]

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/322298-experts-say-trumps-military-budget-cant-pay-for-buildup-he-wants


President Trump's $603 billion budget proposal for defense won't be enough to pay for the massive buildup in military might that he envisions, experts say.But there’s also debate about whether the larger $640 billion proposed by defense hawks in Congress is necessary, with some experts saying the "readiness crisis" that number is meant to address may be exaggerated.
"The amount of defense funding you need should be determined by strategy and what you want the military to be able to do,” said Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The Trump administration has not given us a clear defense strategy, so it's difficult to judge [whether $603 billion is enough] if you don’t know what the defense strategy is."

[oyarde]

He should sell bonds to pay for it .

[afwjam]

He should sell bonds to pay for it .


War bonds for undeclared wars wars of aggression, brilliant! Why did Trump not think of that if he's so smart?

[oyarde]

War bonds for undeclared wars wars of aggression, brilliant! Why did Trump not think of that if he's so smart?

If he was that smart he would heave pd me a retainer to help with these things .

[CPUd]

http://i.imgur.com/fU3ktdi.jpg

[oyarde]

First thing would be eliminate the bloated procurement budget . Use that money to actually buy goods he wants . Cut the overall defense budget then make a plea and sell bonds and get a bigger budget and buy whatever you like without increasing taxes or debt , letting the public that wants it pay for it.

[oyarde]

http://i.imgur.com/fU3ktdi.jpg

That is only 1 platoon . He is gonna get more than that .

[TheTexan]

If 40 billion isn't enough then just do 100 billion

[Zippyjuan]

He should sell bonds to pay for it .

We do. They are called "US Treasury Notes". It is how we finance out debt.

Trump says he wants to add at least two more aircraft carriers. That alone will cost over $30 billion of his $54 billion he proposes. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/03/02/aboard-ford-trump-promises-12-carriers-record-navy-growth.html

[oyarde]

We do. They are called "US Treasury Notes". It is how we finance out debt.

Trump says he wants to add at least two more aircraft carriers. That alone will cost over $30 billion of his $54 billion he proposes. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/03/02/aboard-ford-trump-promises-12-carriers-record-navy-growth.html

Not the junk stuff . Real bonds .

[oyarde]

If 40 billion isn't enough then just do 100 billion

No problem if I was running it .

[UWDude]

Experts say, experts say.

Trump will deliver, under budget, and ahead of schedule.

[CPUd]

depleted like a mofo

http://i.imgur.com/FNr7o1T.gif

[Zippyjuan]

The basic "teaser rate". "Look, this is all the Defense spending increase will cost you! Sign here!" Then you find out that the quoted price only applied to a portion of the services you thought you were getting and adding those will quadruple your bill. No offsetting cuts or discounts on those.

[CaptUSA]

Experts say, experts say.

Trump will deliver, under budget, and ahead of schedule.

I think we need a "Peace Star". Delivered under budget and ahead of schedule.

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/7/72/DeathStar1-SWE.png/revision/latest?cb=20150121020639

How much would one of these cost? Doesn't matter. If you don't think we need one, you obviously hate America!

[UWDude]

I think we need a "Peace Star". Delivered under budget and ahead of schedule.

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/7/72/DeathStar1-SWE.png/revision/latest?cb=20150121020639

How much would one of these cost? Doesn't matter. If you don't think we need one, you obviously hate America!

Sweet. How much to get it done in 3 years?

[Zippyjuan]

depleted like a mofo

http://i.imgur.com/FNr7o1T.gif

http://i.imgur.com/awVKTLr.jpg

[AZJoe]

Trump Should follow Putin on military spending:
https://mises.org/blog/trump-should-follow-putin-military-spending

President Trump followed through on his plans (https://mises.org/blog/trump-readies-new-pentagon-spending-binge) to escalate US military spending, proposing a budget that included $639 billion for the Pentagon — a $54 billion budget increase. Meanwhile, in Moscow, the Russian government has announced (http://www.janes.com/article/68766/russia-announces-deepest-defence-budget-cuts-since-1990s) a 25% reduction in defense spending, the sharpest cut since the 1990s. This brings Russia’s total military budget for the year to around $50 billion dollars, less than Trump’s proposed increase. ...

[silverhandorder]

The reason he can find the build up is because he won't be wasting money fighting everywhere.

[Zippyjuan]

The reason he can find the build up is because he won't be wasting money fighting everywhere.

He is so far limiting that to Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and possibly Iran and North Korea. You know, the "usual suspects". He wants to increase forces in all of those countries.

[Zippyjuan]

Trump Should follow Putin on military spending:
https://mises.org/blog/trump-should-follow-putin-military-spending

President Trump followed through on his plans (https://mises.org/blog/trump-readies-new-pentagon-spending-binge) to escalate US military spending, proposing a budget that included $639 billion for the Pentagon — a $54 billion budget increase. Meanwhile, in Moscow, the Russian government has announced (http://www.janes.com/article/68766/russia-announces-deepest-defence-budget-cuts-since-1990s) a 25% reduction in defense spending, the sharpest cut since the 1990s. This brings Russia’s total military budget for the year to around $50 billion dollars, less than Trump’s proposed increase. ...

As a percent of GDP, Russia actually spends more on defense. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/324595-russia-china-making-gains-on-us-military-power


According to the latest figures of the World Bank, Russia spent approximately 5 percent of its GDP on defense in 2015 as opposed to 2 percent by China and 3.3 percent by the United States.

Russia has been averaging almost 20% a year increases in military spending since 2011. http://www.janes.com/article/68766/russia-announces-deepest-defence-budget-cuts-since-1990s


The reduction follows an extended period of large increases to Russian defense spending with growth having achieved an average rate of 19.8% a year since 2011 in nominal terms. Despite the cut, the 2017 budget will remain about 14.4% higher than the level of defense spending seen in 2014 in nominal terms.

Some question if Russia will actually reduce spending by that amount:


“The future planned reductions are much smaller at 3.2% in 2018, and 4.8% for 2019. This would amount to 3% and 2.8% of GDP respectively, and perhaps 17% of the government budget. Though the figures do not include other spending on national security. My understanding is that these were based on really low oil prices of 40/barrel as well.”

Based on historical trend, Kofman wrote that he expects that the Kremlin will likely not reduce its defense outlays by even those more modest figures. “2015 saw only a 3.8% reduction, and 2016 a 5% reduction, relative to much louder announcements. This should be compared to 10% reductions to other federal agency budgets. Meaning, we should expect MoD to claw back some % points from Ministry of Finance,” Kofman writes.

The bottom line is that while some might wish Russia would cut defense spending by twenty-five percent overnight, leaders in the Kremlin are not naive. Russia’s will maintain a robust defense budget for the foreseeable future.

“The Russian defense budget will remain very much alive, while the state armament program will continue to truck along,” Kofman writes.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/did-russia-just-cut-its-defense-budget-by-whopping-25-19831

[AZJoe]

As a percent of GDP, Russia actually spends more on defense. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/324595-russia-china-making-gains-on-us-military-power

That's a silly Zippy comparison. It doesn't make it a bigger military. That's like comparing a middle class family that spends $10,000 on a car, and a millionaire that spends a $100,000 on car, and then trying to say the middle class family is buying a bigger car because it costs more of their budget. By that Zippy analysis, it would make South Sudan (http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?v=132) the biggest military in the world, more than double the USA, by GDP percentage.
(But I'm half expecting the neocons to spin Russia's 25% reduction in military spending to somehow be a threat to NATO and threat to Washington.)
https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2016/02/MilitaryBalance2015b1.jpg&w=1484