# 1000 Military Bases



## TKincaid (Dec 3, 2017)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76fStEJ ... tion=share

The Pentagon spends hundreds of billions of dollars maintaining some 1,000 US bases overseas--in every corner of the globe. 
*The rest of the world combined maintains a total of 77 military bases outside of national borders.*
In this "we're number one." But what is the cost?
As Professor Robert Pape has extensively researched, it is the sense of being occupied by a foreign power that most motivates potential suicide terrorists. Is a worldwide military empire really keeping us safe...or is it just making the military-industrial complex rich? Tune in to today's Ron Paul Liberty Report:


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

TK, some days I swing so far right I run into the Libitarians, and some days I swing so far left I Starck into the Libitarians again! Hah! 
I think you have a great question here? In my previous pre retirement life every day I had to ask myself "am what I am recommending likely to do this person more good than harm, in other words, more likely to kill or cure. Most importantly "does the potential benefit outweigh any potential harm that may result from what I am recommending?"
You are basically asking the same thing! Are all these bases keeping us safer or stirring up more tpotentisl trouble in the short or long run?? I dunno the answer, but I'm betting you might be correct. As many say, all these refugee camps are the absolute best recruitment sources for the bad guys world wide. Do the many bases we have everywhere add to that recruitment carrot? Good question and could be arguable both ways.
And that's leaving out any discussion the billions and trillions of dollars we all contribute in another couple months that will be poured into keeping them going.


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## TKincaid (Dec 3, 2017)

Habitat Hugger said:


> TK, some days I swing so far right I run into the Libitarians, and some days I swing so far left I Starck into the Libitarians again! Hah!
> I think you have a great question here? In my previous pre retirement life every day I had to ask myself "am what I am recommending likely to do this person more good than harm, in other words, more likely to kill or cure. Most importantly "does the potential benefit outweigh any potential harm that may result from what I am recommending?"
> You are basically asking the same thing! Are all these bases keeping us safer or stirring up more tpotentisl trouble in the short or long run?? I dunno the answer, but I'm betting you might be correct. As many say, all these refugee camps are the absolute best recruitment sources for the bad guys world wide. Do the many bases we have everywhere add to that recruitment carrot? Good question and could be arguable both ways.
> And that's leaving out any discussion the billions and trillions of dollars we all contribute in another couple months that will be poured into keeping them going.


Yours was an excellent response, and I thank you.

My post itself was somewhat rhetorical- What is The cost Vs The benefit and is it worth it??....

Seems to me, we could have 4-5 bases as jump off points for strategic or tactical reasons, and close the other 995, and save Trillions.



> *America on its way to $30 trillion debt by 2028 as military expenditure soars*
> 13 Feb, 2018
> 
> The mounting US debt is likely to grow by another $10 trillion in the next decade, according to estimates contained in the recent budget proposal.
> ...


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

You aren't counting aircraft carrier groups.....basically moveable bases.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Many of the bases are because of wars we fought in and won. So then NATO and other treaty's make it so we have to have a military presence there to "keep conflict down".... or are there from the "cold war era".

I agree we as a nation need to make other accountable and let them put bases there. Because they fought in the same wars.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

It makes me think of the United Nations. They often vote against us and we pay more into it than any other country. Likewise if they want bases in Japan let them pay for it. Their people live better in many of the NATO nations because we work harder. They have been parasitizing us long enough. We all appear to be in some sort of agreement. Quick someone check and see if Hell froze over.


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Don't see why the UN can't vote against us from time to time. It's supposed to be a sort of International Democracy Organization that supposedly does what they feel is best, for better or for worse. They are not there simply to vote for whatever we want each and every time or kowtow to us or do what we tell them to do! Actually Most of of their collective votes are with us, though we don't hear much about those, if ever. Another reason to switch your TV from MSNBC and especially FOX. We sure hear about it when they vote against our position on some (bit not all)sanctions, embargoes against places like Cuba, etc. But there's lots of room for world wide discussion and dissension, there. Not saying the UN isn't corrupt and wrong sometimes, like our own Govt!

The rest of your post I sure agree with. Why should we defend places like Japan, Western Europe that seem to have more money and defense resources than we do, just because of the aftermath of WW2, now 75 years ago!? And other small but expensive bases, like TK pointed out. Some around the globe might be necessary for intelligence or security, or radar or space communications and tracking stuff, etc. I don't know, but certainly agree that long hard looks be taken at some of this questionable spending, (I'm struggling with income tax today and even more grumpy about Govt waste!) especially since arguably it could do the country more harm than good.


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