I Want To Talk Politics

@npc:

Two factors to blame for national security spending dropping from 4.6% of GDP to 3.3% in 2015: overall troop reductions as we pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan, and sequestration. The latter is a bi-partisan issue.

Sequestration refers to the framework for automatic, across-the-board cuts to both military and non-military spending that were originally designed to force bipartisan negotiators in Congress to strike a deal in 2011. When negotiations fell apart, the cuts went into effect.

The former is a consequence of us not having been an occupation force.

I still don't understand the statement: "Our once great nation is crumbling from within."

I've asked before, why you think America was previously great and it no longer is. You're choosing not to respond.

If you mean that our greatness is related to the size of our military, then we are still the world's most capable military force, and we continue to prove it in conventional warfare.

"Trump is using hyperbole again with his 100% statement."

It looks like having a president, who cannot utter a sentence, without blowing things out of proportions, does not bother you. Let's put it this way. You have a job, where you're responsible for long term planning, but you expect, every morning you show up to work, to have your CEO declaring a new emergency, and wanting to divert the companies resources, based on something he heard, from a guy three positions behind him, as he was waiting for his coffee at Starbucks.

"This character in the White House will not speak against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, therefore one may not speculate what took down that plane."

This character in the White House is our President. And, I don't understand the will not speak against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. Just like his predecessor, George Bush, he is trying not to allow ISIL to be the spokesperson for Islam. We are not at war with Islam (although I know some want us to be), hence the distinction. This is what George Bush said as well, before we went to war.

It's laughable when you say "I'm sorry you don't understand the threat of Islamic fundamental terrorism against the West and any other sect of Islam ISIS hates."

Where did I give an indication that I do not? I'm sorry you completely missed the point I was trying to make, and that is: I don't want to see the United States turn into a Saudi Arabia.

As to your statement that the way to fight this war is through special ops, I'm sorry you don't see how this has not been the case. We only hear about it when there's a US fatality. The current administration has turned the ground war, into nearly 100% special ops, with full air and drones support. Under the present administration, the US, and on average weekly basis, has killed clandestinely, more in a week, than the entire time George Bush was President.

So, what is Trump going to do that's different?