Steve Kangas: What do liberals believe about national defense?

Steve Kangas

Some liberals model their beliefs after Mahatma Gandhi, in that they are absolute pacifists, renouncing violence for any reason.

However, most liberals see a legitimate need for self-defense, even on a national level with armed forces. The fight against Hitler is a commonly cited example. But liberals are united in their view that offensive military operations are wrong. 

They also see unrestrained arms races as a waste of limited resources, not to mention dangerous. Many liberals believe that war will become a thing of the past once the entire world becomes democratic. 

This is based on the observation that stable, well-established democracies never go to war with each other. (Exceptions include insurrections and wars for independence.) 

In the 71 interstate wars since 1815, there have been no unambiguous exceptions to this rule.

It is remarkable that the views of Ron Paul on defense are very similar to the views most liberals have. Perhaps that is is where the liberal-part of libertarian comes from.

There are also resource issues to consider. The US in the last fiscal year spent 4.7 per cent on defense and 2 per cent on infrastructure. China spends one sixth of what the US spends on defense and 9 per cent on infrastructure. 

US defense expenditures do not include Homeland Security which is the real defense department. Nor do defense expenditures address annual interest payments for the national debt.

Some economists estimate that  80-90 percent of the deficit was created by overspending on defense for past wars and contingencies. 


When you add the Department of Defense and Homeland Security budgets, and interest on the national debt, defense eats up more than half of  federal discretionary spending. 


source: http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/ShortFAQ.htm#defense

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