Comparing us on the simple scale of boots is once again archaic. See the gulf wars.

The budget is currently ~24% of the budget could we knock that down to 20 maybe even 18 and still get all the vital Tech we need? The way military engagments will be fought in the future? And of course while your GDP graph is nice is does not address the added stress on the taxpayer or the deficit spending we need to do to make up the shortfall

It's an apples to oranges comparsion, facts are facts we spend 45 cents for the worlds dollar on defense

I mean what happens when the economy grows? Just spend more and more as long as we stay below the mythical 4%? GDP only takes into account the size of the economy not the reality.

Cutting 100 billion out of the budget sure would help, GDP be damned. I'm not talking about GDP here, I'm talking about the tangibale effects on the taxpayer.

What about the moral and ethical issue of bases?