Immodest proposal: Cutting military spending

Christian Century, May 12, 1999 by James L. Hecht

Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, based in New York, was founded in 1996 for the purpose of shifting spending from defense into other areas, with education at the top of the list. BLSP, which relies on CDI and others for its research, seeks to use the financial contributions and the marketing skills of business executives to help persuade the public to demand an end to wasteful military spending.

BLSP has the potential to make a difference. Most business executives, who are practiced in making operations efficient, support what BLSP is trying to do. But until now few have campaigned for cuts in military spending. Instead, they have focused their political efforts on issues that directly affect the earnings of their companies: tax policies, environmental regulations, trade policies, etc. But overspending on defense has become so egregious and other needs so great that this could change.

By how much can the military budget be reduced? Many experts believe that $40 billion could be saved without any loss of overall effectiveness. Paradoxically, giving a deserved increase in pay to military personnel would contribute to this saving by preventing highly trained specialists from leaving the armed forces for better-paying civilian jobs. The long-range potential for savings is even greater. If we discharged our global responsibilities only in cooperation with other nations, within ten years we could reduce our military spending by over $100 billion in today's dollars.

CDI, BLSP and other organizations that support decreasing the military budget will never match the military-industrial complex in number of lobbyists or financial contributions. But the case for decreased military spending is strong. If there is sufficient support to get the message across, and if that support is used intelligently, the case can be made and won.

Military spending
Approximate per year

United States    $280 billion
Russia             70
Japan              60
France             45
United Kingdom     39
Germany            38
China              38
South Korea        14
North Korea         7
Iraq                3
Iran                2
Libya               1

James L. Hecht is a senior fellow at the Center for Public Policy and Contemporary Issues at the University of Denver.3