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Pros And Cons Of Military Spending

1113 Words5 Pages

Nate Gosbin
Mr. Boruff
AP Literature
13 February 2018

Military Spending
Each year, we increase our military budget, which does not contribute to the economy. The military budget in 2017 was $523.9 billion. The military budget for 2018 is $824.6 billion, and is larger than the next nine countries proposed military budgets for 2018 combined. In one year, the budget has skyrocketed $300.7 billion. There is no logical reason for this huge increase. The government is basically throwing away valuable money that could be put to use in a much better way. Military spending should not continue to increase year after year. Instead, we the people of the United States should gradually reduce the budget for years to come, and the money be put back into the economy.
For the past 70 years, the U.S. has been the world’s police force, whether in Germany, Korea, Vietnam, or Afghanistan, and the defense budget has grown accordingly. Writing in The New Yorker, journalist Jill Lepore said, “Between 1998 and 2011, military spending doubled, reaching …show more content…

“Here's the $250 Billion in Hidden Military Spending.” The Balance, www.thebalance.com/u-s-military-budget-components-challenges-growth-3306320.
Lepore, Jill. “The Force.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/01/28/the-force.
McCarthy, Tom. “Does the US really need a huge boost in military spending?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 9 Feb. 2018, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/09/senate-budget-deal-us-military-spending.
“Military Spending in the United States.” National Priorities Project, www.nationalpriorities.org/campaigns/military-spending-united-states/.
“U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time.” U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time, www.usdebtclock.org/.
Blodget, Henry. “Yes, Of Course We Should Cut Military Spending!” Business insider, Business Insider, 10 Feb. 2013,

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