That's a LOT of Money

Blue Texan at FDL has some absolutely disgusting numbers for us to peruse...

Of all the wasted money spent on the defense around the world last year we Americans accounted for a whopping 42% of the total tab. In spite of that horrible fact we still hear

endless concern trolling about how Obama's destroying the military.

The U.S. is, as expected, by far the world's biggest arms spender, according to the think tank. It represented almost 42% of the 2008 total, more than the 14 other top countries combined in what SIPRI described as a legacy from former presidentGeorge W. Bush.

Since 1999, U.S. defense spending has soared 67% in real terms to $607 billion last year.

As a comparison, the non-tax cut portion of the Porkulus Generational Theft Stimulus Bill that so outraged the Teabaggers was a mere $499B. And yet, for some of those very same Teabaggers, $607 billion just isn't cutting it.

"Reducing Alaska's defense readiness in these perilous times is a show of weakness, it is not a sign of strength," Palin said during a celebration in upstate New York honoring native son William Seward, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska in 1867 as Secretary of State.

In light of the fact that the US only spent more than four times what Russia and China committed to defense -- combined -- it's easy to see why Palin's so concerned.

Is it just me or does anyone else think that maybe we ought to rethink this whole military thing or at least move the spending into the ballpark with the rest of the world. I understand the need for a strong military given our position in the world but really!