The four percent nation

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on February 19, 2008 - 9:26pm.
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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole said that four percent is the magic number.

At the President's Day Dinner tonight, the Salisbury Republican stressed her proposal to spend at least four percent of the country's gross domestic product on defense, signaling that it would be a major issue in her ongoing re-election campaign.

That would require an additional $40 billion in fiscal year 2008.

Dole said that the military took a "procurement holiday" during the 1990s and fell behind on replacing aging equipment. She noted that while the United States is building just one Virginia-class submarine a year, China is building five a year. 

"The Air Force is flying planes that should have been retired," she said.

She noted that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen recently testified on behalf of the resolution. 

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Re: The four percent nation

Submitted by dahedgehog on February 20, 2008 - 11:53am.

"9/11 proved that you can't avoid evil by sticking your head in the sand or running away."

True. It also proved that our greatest security threat these days comes from unconventional sources. I think it's great that the new F-22 raptor has done well in combat exercises. However, it's totally irrelevant when it comes to combating the threat of terrorism.

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Re: The four percent nation

Submitted by kmisegades on February 20, 2008 - 10:45am.

Useless new planes? Have you not read the news? The latest terrorist leader was killed using a UCAV, unmanned combat aerial vehicle, piloted by someone far from danger. Such systems can't be built in someone's attic shop, they cost money. read also of the amazing abilities of the new F-22 raptor and its success in combat exercises against top-of-the line F-15E aircraft over Alaska. Well worth the investment. Ask any Marine now flying at high speed an altitude in the V-22 Osprey, 20+ years under development but light years ahead of the bad guys. Get the facts before you throw stones. 9/11 proved that you can't avoid evil by sticking your head in the sand or running away.

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Re: The four percent nation

Submitted by dahedgehog on February 20, 2008 - 10:26am.

Well, I agree with this: "The Air Force is flying planes that should have been retired." After all, we no longer have to be prepared to fight the Ruskies! Retire them, I say!

Unfortunately, Dole wants to replace the old planes with new, more expensive, and equally useless airplanes. That sounds like a bad idea to me.

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