Foreign Policy & Military
Wars, NATO, China, foreign aid, and defense spending
8 topics“We spend more on the military than the next 10 countries combined. That money should go to healthcare and education instead.”
Military spending is about 3.5% of GDP — historically low. The comparison to other countries ignores that our costs are higher because we pay American wages, not Chinese wages. Cutting defense doesn't automatically fund social programs — and a weakened military invites aggression that costs far more.
“America needs to stop being the world's police. We should focus on our own problems instead of fighting everyone else's wars.”
The post-WWII era of American global leadership has been the most peaceful and prosperous period in human history. Before American hegemony, great power wars killed tens of millions every few decades. The cost of maintaining order is a fraction of the cost of the chaos that follows retreat.
“Iraq proves that American intervention doesn't work. We just make things worse everywhere we go.”
Iraq was a serious mistake and we should learn from it. But one bad intervention doesn't invalidate all intervention. The Korean War saved South Korea. The Gulf War liberated Kuwait. NATO intervention in the Balkans stopped genocide. Selective engagement, not total withdrawal, is the lesson.
“We send billions in foreign aid while Americans suffer. We should take care of our own people first.”
I actually partly agree — foreign aid should be strategic, not charity. But total foreign aid is about $60 billion — less than 1% of the federal budget. Much of it buys U.S. influence, counters China and Russia, and prevents crises that would cost far more. Cut waste, don't cut the tool.
“NATO is a relic of the Cold War. The Soviet Union is gone and we're paying for Europe's defense while they freeload.”
Russia's invasion of Ukraine proves NATO's relevance. The freeloading is real — most NATO members don't meet their 2% GDP defense commitment. But the solution is making allies pay their share, not dismantling the most successful military alliance in history.
“China isn't really a threat. The whole 'China hawk' thing is just fearmongering to justify military spending.”
China has the world's largest navy, is building nuclear weapons at the fastest rate in history, has stolen billions in intellectual property, runs concentration camps for Uyghurs, and openly states its goal to replace the U.S. as the dominant world power by 2049. What would a threat look like?
“We should always choose diplomacy over military force. War is never the answer.”
Diplomacy works when both sides have something to lose. Neville Chamberlain tried diplomacy with Hitler — it got 60 million people killed. Diplomacy backed by credible military force is effective. Diplomacy without it is just begging. Peace through strength isn't a slogan — it's history.
“American foreign policy created terrorism. If we just stopped meddling in the Middle East, they'd leave us alone.”
Islamic terrorism predates U.S. Middle East involvement and targets countries that have no Middle East presence. Jihadist ideology explicitly calls for global conquest regardless of U.S. policy. Osama bin Laden's grievances included U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, Israel's existence, and Western values. You can't negotiate with those demands.