What can’t be spun is this. We do spend more on our military than the rest of the world combined in real dollars. That fact may be groovy or gross depending on your philosophy.

Our spending is as high as it is in large part because of the war in Iraq. Again, you may love that or you may hate that, but it’s a fact.

Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. So, I think it is a self-feeding conclusion to say that “our current times of terrorism” is a justification for such high levels of military spending. This is the logical equivalent of declaring war on the world and then saying, “See, we’ve got to spend a lot of money b/c we have a a lot of battles to fight.”

Iraq was not an al-Qaeda haven. We created that. We created the need for increased spending. To justify increased spending b/c of the “current times of terrorism,” which we, in part created, reminds me of Cheney giving info to a reporter who then writes a column and then Cheney goes on Meet The Press and quotes that column as evidence that he’s right. It’s circular.

More candidly, I don’t care what the budget was in 1962, 1972, or 1982. I care what this Administration is doing to my country, my family, and me right now. I worry about what the next administration is going to do. I understand the notion of understanding history so you’re not doomed to repeat it, but I don’t believe in trying to justify current errors by citing statistics from 40+ years ago that are at their base apples-to-oranges comparisons.

To quote Dennis Miller, “But then again I could be wrong.”

“The premise of this editorial is that we have a war economy. In order to make this point it is claimed that 54% of our budget is for the military.

The facts are that while mandatory spending in 1965 was 29% of the budget the percentage of the national budget for mandatory programs (Medicare, Social Security. welfare, etc.) is now 58%. Double.

In 1962 the military budget was 9.3% of the GPD. The 45 year average is 5.5% of the GDP. The current percentage is 4%, 1.5% below the 45 year average. this while we have 2 active wars and a worldwide war against terrorism. Mr. Farrel’s editorial is filled with misinformation and is typical of his work which seems to be always overstated, embellished and overblown.

In the current times of terrorism and the attempted resurgence of the Soviet Union by Putin it is well to remember that freedom is not free.”