The World’s Top 10 Military Spenders
1. United States (FY08 budget), $623 billion
2. China (2004), $65 billion
3. Russia, $50 billion
4. France (2005), $45 billion
5. United Kingdom, $42.8 billion
6. Japan (2007), $41.75 billion
7. Germany (2003), $35.1 billion
8. Italy (2003), $28.2 billion
9. South Korea (2003), $21.1 billion
10. India (2005 est.), $19 billion
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Data source: TomDispatch.com
And, free to do what? Go to work? Buy gas and eat fast food??
Were free to be chained to student loan or credit card debt?
Then yes, America is truly the land of the free!
Actually, Canada and England have many more restrictions on their freedom than we here in America do. Higher taxes are the most notable, and England is currently installing cameras everywhere there is an outlet. Can’t say much about Australia, but I doubt they have “more freedom” than we do. That said, America still sucks. This war is still totally out of control, and isn’t about freedom in the least.
It doesn’t matter if we are liberal or conservative, republican or democrat….what matters is that we are the most powerful nation on earth, though the budget may be steep, every other country on the planet hates us. It should be expected to have the largest military budget if you are the biggest target.
jack - the rest of the world is laughing at us. Oh yeah, we’re so ‘free’ - tell that to the guys locked up in prison who’ve been there (being tortured) for years waiting to be charged with a crime. Ever heard of habeas corpus? And, I’d be pretty careful what you write, say, or email. Cause, you may end up considered an enemy of the state (–1984, hello)
You know why america spends so much? just as in the cold war, we need to be the police. you have the two most devistating superpowers of russia and china kept in check by who? the french? the english?
We need everyone in this country, we need healthy debate though, not telling those who disagree to leave.
Uhhhh, Shawn. The essence of what you say is true, but being a Canadian myself, I am quite surprised that you somehow doubled the population base of our country.
Try 35 million.
Kevin: Higher taxes = less freedom? Last I checked we voted governments in and agreed to those taxes.
Why would we do something stupid like that? Well, for starters, when I am suffering from an extreme medical emergency the doctors see me and dont even bother asking if I have insurance. Everyone does. We also don’t have people who are left in the throws of death, vomiting on the floor of a hospital, being patently ignored.
Funnily enough, our debt is miniscule compared to yours (even as a % of our GDP) why? Because we don;t mind paying our fair share so have-nots are not relegated to being kicked out on the streets. Not saying we don;t have a homeless problem, but it is laughable when compared to that of the USA. Our income gap is also much smaller than yours.
Our economy is running circles around yours at the moment…but hey, I guess because you shut your eyes and pretend your debt isn’t astronomical and that your economy isn’t collapsing….makes you more free.
We pay taxes to avoid a crisis situation like your country is facing now. Personally, I would rather pay a few more dollars every year in taxes and be assured that I will be taken care of when ill, and that my economy won’t collapse around my feet because of an out of control debt that is out sourced to foreign countries that have openly hostile intentions.
Not to mention we actually have Habeas Corpus in this country, something you and your “freedom” have seemed to deem unnecessary. Also, our tax rate is high….for the rich. Which is just how it should be.
We have to take in consideration that the amount we spend also includes some high level technology. Many of our advances in medical, science, engineering, nano technology and equipment have had great spin offs in the private sector. The advances in aircraft systems alone have and will make great contributions to all societies. And some of the advances in plasma physics will revolutionize the way you live in the future. Anti gravity is no longer a Star Trek thing. Your computer, the internet (sorry Gore) is all directed through advances from the military. I think the 500B we’re spending on welfare is a bigger waste of funds. There’s no payback to society.
america is definitely not the “freest” country…greece is. definitely.
these numbers are totally wrong. ah china’s military expenditure was wayyyy less than $65 billion in 2004. the expenditure for 2007? $45 billion. suck it ecoscraps