Wow. Washington has done it again! The Obama Posse is really startin' to tick me off. They have cut spending towards the f-22 raptor, the most advanced jetfighter so far, that we own. There reason is that they want to buy things for stuff the troops can actually see. Can they see multiple mountains and underground bases? No. Can the travel to about Mach 2? no.
The new US defence budget is no doubt audacious, but the reallocation of resources shows the shift in priorities the US armed forces needed to address long ago. It was Bush and other US politicians next war-itis that urged them to spend on assets that would assist them in future conflicts with Russia or China, however Obama, has rightly in my opinion, chosen to invest in today's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
There is no doubt that the F-22 is a superb piece of kit, but it won't win the conflicts that matter right now and that is what matters.
I've always thought that national security should be consuming the most funds, since this is the defense of the people. I'm not accusing Obama of neglecting it, but if we remove national defense but have a strong economy, we're left defenseless and rich. There needs to be a balance that slightly favors national sescurity, even in these economic times.
i pretty much agree with firefly on this one. Not all war is the same. The F-22 is awesome, but at the same time, there are a few new ones in the works that are better, and we don't exactly need an air force against an enemy that is exclusively infantry at this point.
The poverty rate in America is soaring. The jobless rate is through the roof. Children are homeless. People worry about whether or not they can eat. College graduates are leaving college with massive debts, and no jobs lined up.
Despite this, people care about bombing civilians in the middle east, funding weaponry, and prolonging war.
If I ran things, the F-22 wouldn't exist. There is no reason for it when people all over the world are suffering from this economy.
The F-22 is a vital peice of kit that cost WAY to much. Oh, $250,000,000 isn't that much. Why are we even bothering with new, hyper expensive weapons when we could upgrade what we got. We need a few of them, but we don't need to replace our airforce with a plane that for we know will get shot down on it's first field run.
We need a few of them, but we don't need to replace our airforce with a plane that for we know will get shot down on it's first field run.
Most of the tests have proved quite to the contrary. It has performed superbly in red and green flag contests. The performance and capabilities of the aircraft aren't the problem but the cost. $140 mil a pop is way too much, even by today's standards.
Well, defense really is the government's primary job, not welfare, but do we really need highly advanced fighter jets like the F-22? The money is better spent on things such as small arms, armor, armored vechicles, medical supplies, and possibly transport aircraft. Fighter jets, although "cool" really serve little purpose in most modern wars as we fight nations that see still use Vietnam era aircraft. Our F-16 and F-15 fleets are capable enough, and coupled with the B-52s and B-1Bs, we have little need for much else for combat purposes. The money is better spent on training and equiping infantry that really need it then on screw yous to the Russians and Chinesse.
i agree with BigPO8, i'd rather be strong but moderate$ than weak and big$
thelistman poverty is in pretty much every country... and there's two types American Poverty: people with cellphones and are fat from mcdonalds living off welfare checks The rest of the world: actually starving to death in disease ridden villages with rebel groups like in Africa
Oh no! Less money to blow people up, and more money to spend on helping people! HOW TERRIBLE!
Oh no, less planes to defend ourselves against the military powers Russia and China who are passing us militarily, and more money to spend helping people who should be helping themselves and trying instead of asking the government to save there @ss every day! YOUR RIGHT, IT IS TERRIBLE.
Oh no, less planes to defend ourselves against the military powers Russia and China who are passing us militarily, and more money to spend helping people who should be helping themselves and trying instead of asking the government to save there @ss every day! YOUR RIGHT, IT IS TERRIBLE.
China is a wannabee military superpower. They have a fleet of around 500 jets, many of which are out of date. Russia has 1000 jets and is more of a threat. The USA has 2000 jets. Losing a few F22s is not exactly disastrous for your national security.
less planes to defend ourselves against the military powers Russia and China who are passing us militarily
More doomsday, fear mongering. We could cut military production entirely and still be better equipped than those two countries combined twenty years from now.
