Essay Sample on America Should Spend Less Money on Its Military

Introduction

In the fiscal year 2018 that terminated on the last day of September, the United States' government expenditure stood at $4.131 trillion while the total revenues accumulated to $3.329 trillion. Such statistics indicate a deficit of $779 billion, prompting the government to borrow money by regularly selling its Treasury securities. Narrowing down to the specific expenditure, the military took 15% of the government budget standing at $618 billion. It is true that we need a defense force, but unlike other services that cannot get abolished such as the interests paid to service debts, the army can legally get stopped by the Congress in a given year. Such entails that military expenditure is not as vital as it is taken. In September this year, the 2019 budget of the defense forces got passed without a hitch which stood at $716, an amount higher than in2018 (Whelehan par 1-6). Education only secured 129.8 billion for total expenses (U.S. Secretary of Education 28).

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In the soldier perspectives, such increment in the military budget is a positive indication because it will care for training, staff upkeep as well as the equipment. On the other hand, as a taxpayer, one gets greatly concerned about such an expedition. Regarding the military service, the United States has enough supply. The problem arises at the demand due to poor strategy. The military missions lack clear views in its achievable goals leading to bearing with impossible expectations and spending in such tasks, especially those away from the territories of the United States.

A critical look into the military needs indicates that it is in fact under dire needs. The military needs to fix an array of high striking jets that are not in good condition in preparation or search for wars across the globe. The military has spent many years in battlefields and there is a clear indication that the American government has been at war most of its years, "since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 214 out of her 235 calendar years of existence"( McDougall 72 ). The military forces aircrafts combined outnumber majority of the other countries totaling to a higher expenditure than the 5th -7th power nations combined.

Such data indicate that the problem in the United States' military will not get solved by pumping it with more tax payer's money. Ideally, the large money allocations and ambivalent strategy give room for ignoring hard facts and decisions. Since the commencement of the All-Volunteer Force (AVF), the United States has intentionally avoided the argument on "guns vs. butter." The government uses debt to invest in less great professionalism instead of focussing on diplomacy. By increased empowerment in the resources, the military has taken the government's role in decision making. The truth is that the decision to be in war has not worked. In fact, there has been increasing evidence that the United States policies have resulted in increased problems of terrorism and regional instability. The American military methods have become erosive by trading lives and using extraordinarily large amounts of money that depicts an infinite source of money and willpower.

In the last fifteen years, subsequently to the launch of the global efforts to counter terrorism, the United States has discovered itself in a vicious cycle, the military fights to defend territories and prevent attacks but the outcome has been incitement of further violence against America and its allies while damaging the already existing chaotic situations. Such touches into a basic conclusion as observed by William Murray (54), "irrespective of the effectiveness in the military's tactfulness and operational levels, if there are flaws in the political framework and strategy, the result will be defeat." The answer to the frustration in the military is not funding, technology or equipment, it is diplomacy.

If the government did the opposite of what is currently doing by diverting the vast resources from the military to other noble jobs, the United States would drastically change. Take an example of the education. The US government under Donald Trump has planned to scrap the $2.4 billion grants for teachers' training as well $1.2 summer funds. Such indicates coming crisis in the education sector among the educators and students. However, low-income students from across the country will have the most devastating effects. Such problems can, yet, get resolved by diverting the vast funds from the military.

According to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate winner, Mala Yousafzai, approximately $39 billion would transform the education sector globally. As she indicated back in 2012, such expenditure only took the United Nation's military which The US is a charter (Murphy par 1). As mentioned in the 2019 budget year, the United States' government is seen to give the priorities to the areas of warfare while reducing its contribution to education.

While one may argue that education is not about money but the system, the education sector still needs more funding; Title 1program meant to assist the disadvantaged need more money. Government schools need more money to learn smoothly as well as granting teachers for successful learning to occur in schools. Such will invest in greater America rather than putting too many resources to military missions that seem to compromise the United States security. If the military has the best intentions to help the global crisis, it should focus on diplomacy negotiations as well as offering education donations and not negotiating for wars outside the American territories.

Works Cited

McDougall, Walter A. Promised land, crusader state: the American encounter with the world since 1776. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1997.

Murphy, D. "Just eight days of military spending could make education free around the world." The daily edge journal. 2015. https://www.thejournal.ie/education-could-be-free-around-the-world-2202883-Jul2015/ Press Operations, "DoD Releases Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Proposal," United States Department of Defense, May 23, 2017.

U.S. Secretary of Education). "ED FY2019 Budget"(PDF). ed.gov. February 14 2018

Whelehan, B. Here's how the government spends tax dollars. Reader's Digest. 2018. https://www.rd.com/culture/how-the-u-s-government-spends-tax-dollars/