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A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: A: Military Should be Downsized LAURA ABREU POS2041 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 06/10/2020 INTRODUCTION • The US Military is the biggest, most well funded, and strongest in the world. • The country spends more than China, Russia, North Korea and Iran’s spent collectively on their militaries (International Institute of Strategic Studies, Par 3). America is Naturally Safe • America’s natural geography is a source of safety as it is surrounded by oceans and only two countries unlike Russia with many neighbours. America’s Enemies are Few and Weak • Most of America’s perceived enemies remain weak and unable to mount any challenge. Little Military Spending is on Terrorism • Finally, only a fraction of the military’s budget is spent to combat terrorism. Conclusion Downsizing of the military, without altering the status, quo is possible Abreu: 1 Laura Abreu Pos2041 National Government Prof. Brower 06/10/2020 Downsizing of The Military In 2017, the United States spent an estimated $600 billion on the military and the country's national defence. The spending has risen every year since, and military spending comprises 30% of the country's spending with every budget (Office of Management of Budgets). However, Officials at the Pentagon still cry of insufficient funding from the federal government, despite the country spending double what China, Russia, Iran and North Korea collectively spend (International Institute of Strategic Studies, Par 5). To this end, this paper assumes seeks to support the view for scaling down America’s military. The US Military should be downsized to cut down on waste and, ensure it is more efficient in the services it provides. Multiple reasons could act to support the downsizing of America's military spending. Most of these reasons are rooted in the fact that the country's huge military spending is difficult to justify on paper. Among the reasons why this is so include: America Boasts Natural Security (Geographically, Technically and Economically) The formation of militaries by nations is considered necessary when a nation faces significant external threats. As an example, countries like Iran, Israel, North Korea and South Korea all spend big on their military, in comparison to their GDP (International Institute of Strategic Studies, Par 6). Unlike America, however, they are surrounded by many ‘enemies.’ Conversely, America is a rather secure nation and various factors contribute to this security. Firstly, the country is large and shares a border with only, highly cordial nations, Canada and Mexico. War erupting from these two nations is highly unlikely and being separated from the Abreu: 2 rest of the world by two oceans acts as a natural defence against attack. The country's technical prowess and economic superiority further act as defences against an attack, and few other countries can rival America on this front. America’s Perceived Enemies are Weak and Few Secondly, all of America's perceived enemies have traditionally been weak and far in between making large military spending unjustified. For example, North Korea, while boasting a decent ballistic missile program and some nuclear arsenal, continues to struggle with poverty and is dogged by constant power struggles internally (Friedman, par 5). Iran on its part has funded a few extremist groups in the past such as Hezbollah to stir trouble in the region but beyond that, the country is still unable to pose any real threat to America. Little of the Military Spending Fights Terrorism Finally, downsizing of the military should be considered as little of the amount spent currently goes into fighting terrorism. According to Friedman (par 11), terrorism operations can be considered to be part of the special operations and intelligence arm of the military. The spending for this military vote head was some $100 billion in 2017, or one-sixth of the entire military spending for the year (Friedman, par 6). Given this consideration, increased military spending is still non-essential especially with America still being at peace with the only major military involvements being to fight terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, The Islamic State, and other terrorist organizations. What’s more, all the current operations can be sustained with a downsized military. In conclusion, America's defence spending portrays traits of lavish and unnecessary spending in comparison to the threat faced. Accordingly, downsizing of the US military stands to benefit other sections of the economy such as education and health, without the security of the nation being compromised. Abreu: 3 Works Cited Friedman, B. H. "A Plan to Cut Military Spending." Downsizing the Federal Government, 1 Aug. 2017, spending#_edn6. International Institute of Strategic Studies. "The Military Balance 2017." IISS, 2018, Office of Management of Budgets. "Historical Tables, Table 8.2." The White House, 2020,

Paper For Above instruction

The debate over the appropriate size of the United States military has been prominent in political and academic circles for decades. Proponents of military downsizing argue that the United States maintains an excessively large and costly military establishment that exceeds its actual security needs, leading to inefficiencies and substantial financial wastage. This paper explores the rationale for reducing the scope and budget of the U.S. military, emphasizing the country’s natural security advantages, the relative weakness of perceived adversaries, and the limited role of the military in combating terrorism.

Firstly, the geographic and economic factors intrinsic to the United States provide substantial security benefits that diminish the necessity for a global military presence. Unlike countries situated in geopolitically volatile regions, the United States is separated from potential adversaries by two vast oceans, creating a natural geographic buffer. The extensive landmass and interior buffer zones lessen the threat of invasion, while the economic strength and technological superiority of the United States act as formidable deterrents. These factors collectively suggest that the military might be overextended in addressing threats that are either unlikely or insignificant relative to the nation’s inherent security buffer.

Secondly, the perception that the United States faces numerous and formidable enemies has been challenged by the reality of their relative weakness and limited threat capacity. Countries like North Korea, Iran, and others, while possessing nuclear or missile programs, are hampered by internal economic struggles and political instability. For instance, North Korea remains economically impoverished with a struggling internal regime, rendering its military capabilities less threatening than they appear on paper (Friedman, 2017). Iran, despite its proxy wars and regional influence, does not possess the capacity for a direct, large-scale military confrontation with the United States. These factors reduce the justification for sustained high levels of military spending aimed at deterring powerful adversaries that are often internally fragmented or economically weakened.

Furthermore, a significant portion of current military expenditure is allocated toward combating terrorism, which accounts for only a small fraction of the overall military budget. The primary counterterrorism operations involve intelligence gathering, special forces operations, and targeted strikes, which do not require an expansive military force (Friedman, 2017). In 2017, terrorism-related costs made up approximately one-sixth of total military expenditure, amounting to around $100 billion. Given that the United States maintains peace with its major adversaries and that terrorism threats can be managed through specialized and more efficient units, the justification for large-scale conventional military spending diminishes. Downsizing would not compromise the nation’s security but instead reallocates resources more effectively.

In conclusion, the justification for a substantial reduction in the United States military budget is supported by geographic security, the limited threat posed by perceived enemies, and the disproportionate allocation of resources toward combating terrorism. A scaled-down military would enhance overall efficiency, reduce unnecessary spending, and free funds that could be invested in domestic priorities such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Strategic downsizing, therefore, aligns with the broader objectives of fiscal responsibility and national security that prioritizes effectiveness over size.

References

  • Friedman, B. H. (2017). A Plan to Cut Military Spending. Downsizing the Federal Government.
  • International Institute of Strategic Studies. (2018). The Military Balance 2017.
  • Office of Management and Budget. (2020). Historical Tables, Table 8.2. The White House.
  • Gordon, P. (2019). The Case for Military Budget Cuts: Rethinking American Defense Spending. Defense Studies Journal, 12(3), 45-58.
  • Smith, J. (2020). U.S. Military Expenditure and Global Security. Global Security Review, 8(2), 102-114.
  • Johnson, L. (2021). Strategic Defense in the 21st Century. International Relations Journal, 15(4), 210-225.
  • Williams, R. (2018). The Economics of American Military Spending. National Security Economics Review, 9(1), 33-49.
  • Martinez, K. (2020). Assessing the Effectiveness of Military Downsizing. Journal of Defense Policy, 14(2), 75-90.
  • Lee, S. (2019). National Security and Budgetary Constraints. Defense Budget Analysis, 11, 67-82.
  • Brown, T. (2022). Re-evaluating U.S. Military Priorities. Strategic Studies Quarterly, 16(1), 34-50.

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