In a quiet, almost secretive, move, The Defense Dept. announced today that it is spending $22.2 billion to build nine attack submarines. Not three or five, but nine submarines that have highly questionable value in the defense of this country. What is the reason for this huge expenditure for naval weapons that do not serve a purpose on any considered level? Who are the countries these submarines are supposed to defend against? Certainly not any war in the Middle East that would find submarine warfare ineffective and unnecessary. That leaves the warhawks resorting to their usual fallback enemies, China and Russia. These two countries are always there to justify huge military expenditures and, worse, to further this country’s militarism. Disregarded is any considered, fully backed, reasoning against war with either of these countries because of the devastation to civilians and the deposing of leaders who led their countries into an unwinnable war.
But military expenditures in this country barely touch on national defense. Their prime objectives are job programs and the retention of Congressional incumbents in office. Job programs are important, but neither jobs or defense is effectively served when the two are mixed. Taxpayers, question this $22 billion expenditure; don’t let it slide into the maw of unnecessary military expenditures. It takes little imagination to consider how many American lives could be improved with these billions of dollars