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| Waste not want not | |
Only the intellectually confused and the very misguided believe there is no
need for a powerful military deterrent. Most
people accept the need for a large (or at least significant) standing army
which is ready to deploy at the drop of a bomb and defend God, Queen, and
country - or at least the triple fronted brick veneer we like to call home, and
the 4WD baby killer we use to ferry the kids to receive their collective
programming by the feminists in the education department. But armies are like large companies: they have large fixed costs. Just as
a large company has to pay rent, wages, electricity and Microsoft software licenses
before they make a single widget, armies have to buy tanks, guns, bombs,
submarines, and pay salaries to their staff just to have soldiers running
around shouting 'bang' in training exercises and marching up and down the
square in straight lines yelling political slogans like 'left
.. left .. left'. And all before they've killed a single individual! Traditionally, governments have used the
economic surplus of their
populations to wage war on
other governments. A morally questionable tactic
perhaps, but one which led to larger kingdoms, and impressive economies of scale. In modern times, Western governments have
chosen instead to use most of the economic surplus to subsidize poverty - but not
all of it. Some of the surplus goes on paying for a large standing army to
ensure the security of their tax-base. But there is lots of lots of surplus just sitting there. Why have an entire
army sitting around doing bugger-all when there are people that need killing?
There are countries in turmoil, entire populations in need of rescuing from
dictatorships (and probably a few that need rescuing from themselves). The US employs over a
million people in their defense department. These are good Americans who need
to feel useful; to be wanted; to be loved. What better way than to
effect regime change in a few unpopular dictatorships? And remember - it's not force when it's for the common
good. Just ask any self-respecting leftie.
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