Christopher A. Preble

“I’m not one who is going to stand before you and say we should cut the defense budget.” “I’m for making sure that America remains the world leader, not becoming second or third or fourth in the list.”

Source: IISS, The Military Balance 2011

Source: U.S. State Department “World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers” Database

Sources: IISS, The Military Balance ; 2011

Source: The Budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Historical Tables, Table Composition of Outlays: , pp

Source: The Budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Historical Tables, Table Composition of Outlays: , pp Figures in billions of constant FY 2005 dollars.

Data compiled by Winslow Wheeler, Straus Military Reform Project, Center for Defense Information. Figures in billions of constant FY 2011 dollars.

An emerging consensus – – We must cut spending, and DoD should not be exempt A dispute over how to cut – – Improving efficiency and eliminating waste doesn’t get you very far Real cuts are feasible – – Politically and strategically, if we refocus our goals

At least four false, expensive, and bipartisan assumptions inhibit spending cuts. – – Alliances distribute our defense burden rather than adding to it. – – Counterterrorism requires counterinsurgency, and we can master counterinsurgency. – – Primacy pays; we should try to run the world. – – Security threats are imminent, and require urgent attention and persistent global presence.

“War made the state and the state made war” – – Charles Tilly War is still “a friend of the state” – – Milton Friedman Libertarians should treat war “with great skepticism” – – David Boaz

The Founders were right – – “Defence against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home.” (Madison) – – “This system will not hurry us into war.” (James Wilson) Sen. Barack Obama was right – – “Stopping an actual or imminent threat” Pres. Obama (and Sen. McCain) are not

Christopher Preble Director of Foreign Policy Studies Cato Institute