From: laelth@yabbs
To: maedhros@yabbs
Subject: Bloated Military 
Date: Wed Jan 26 01:16:11 1994


Maedhros:
   The Kennedy quote that you and honkfish were talking about 
seems pretty relevant to me.  If I'm not mistaken, Kennedy was
deeply disturbed by the growing power and influence of what Dwight 
Eisenhower called "the military-industrial complex," the united 
forces of the CIA, the military itself, and the many big companies
that got very, very rich on the cold war.  Kennedy wanted to dismantle
their power, to divert resources to domestic issues, and to restore our
military to "PEACETIME" levels.  Of course, we know where this policy 
got Kennedy.  He was killed for challenging the CIA, the military, 
and big business (or so Oliver Stone argues in the movie _J.F.K._).
    Given the demise of the Soviet Union I can see absolutely NO
legitimate excuse for spending the kind of money that we spend 
on defense, especially considering that we're NOT AT WAR.  Having a
large military during wartime is one thing,  but during a time of
peace?  ... with a budget defecit that's approaching $400 billion/year?
... with serious urban decay?  ... with a rapidly deteriorating 
Interstate Highway System?  ... with rising costs of college tuition?
... on the verge of a new, national health care initiative?  I mean,
really, can you justify maintaining our bloated military with all 
these other pressing concerns?
    A smaller, highly-technical force, a quick-strike military would
adequately meet our peacetime demands.  We just can't afford to have 
the government employ 2 million soldiers, though I agree that we should
protect our current (if fading) technical superiority.
    In an interesting side note, President Clinton tonight in his
"State of the Union Address" buckled to the pressure of the military-
industrial complex and agreed to maintain the military at current
levels.  And really, you can't blame him.  He doesn't want to be 
another Kennedy.  Just goes to show who REALLY runs this country.

-laelth     | "We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted
            | influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-
            | industrial complex.  We must never let the weight of
            | this combination endanger our liberties or democratic
            | processes."  - Dwight David Eisenhower in his farewell
            |              address to Congress before JFK took office.