Letter: Defense budget should be reduced and money used elsewhere

Endless chatter about the "fiscal cliff" has avoided serious consideration of military spending, a major cause of our difficulties. Defense appropriations are $525 billion for 2013 — 57 percent of the discretionary budget, more than those of all other departments and agencies combined. The U.S. military has twice the budget as the seven next nations combined. We could have an effective military at a far lower cost. Why are expenditures so high? Too many bases abroad, three prolonged and ill-conceived wars, unneeded weapon systems and nuclear armaments. This staggering waste largely reflects defense corporations' clout rather than military necessity. President Eisenhower warned against such power and bloat more than 50 years ago. The Defense budget should therefore be reduced and the savings put to better use for our commonwealth.   

January 22, 2013