TPM highlights an op-ed piece at Defense News, which warns against of a number of bad ideas currently being put into action, not the least of which is:
The uniformed services are trying to lock in the next administration by creating a political cost for holding the line on defense spending. Conservative groups are hoping to ramp up defense spending as a tool to limit options for a Democratic Congress and president to pass new, and potentially costly, social programs, including health care reform.
[ . . . ]
Promoting overspending on defense in order to forestall popular social spending is undemocratic – it creates a false tension between national security and other public policy goals.
The informal alliance between the services and conservative think tanks threatens to further politicize the military. The abuse of national security arguments to win political arguments is both morally suspect and threatens the security of the nation by delinking strategic assessment from public policy.
Dangerous games.
Amit
we do the exact opposite with Israel. we subsidize their military with $3B/year so they can afford their social programs.
MB
I imagine that’s not the intent, but it certainly is a result.
Happy to start the cuts there, in any event.