Comparing US with others:
- US military spending accounts for 48 percent, or almost half, of the world’s total military spending
- US military spending is more than the next 46 highest spending countries in the world combined
- US military spending is 5.8 times more than China, 10.2 times more than Russia, and 98.6 times more than Iran.
- US military spending is almost 55 times the spending on the six “rogue” states (Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria) whose spending amounts to around $13 billion, maximum. (Tabulated data does not include four of the six, as the data only lists nations that have spent over 1 billion in the year, so their budget is assumed to be $1 billion each)
- US spending is more than the combined spending of the next 45 countries.
- The United States and its strongest allies (the NATO countries, Japan, South Korea and Australia) spend $1.1 trillion on their militaries combined, representing 72 percent of the world’s total.
- The six potential “enemies,” Russia, and China together account for about $205 billion or 29% of the US military budget.
| Country | Dollars (billions) | % of total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
Source: U.S. Military Spending vs. the World, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, February 22, 2008 Notes:
If you are viewing this table on another site, please see http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending for further details. | |||
| United States |  711 | 48.28% | 1 |
| China | 121.9 | 8.28% | 2 |
| Russia | 70 | 4.75% | 3 |
| United Kingdom | 55.4 | 3.76% | 4 |
| France | 54 | 3.67% | 5 |
| Japan | 41.1 | 2.79% | 6 |
| Germany | 37.8 | 2.57% | 7 |
| Italy | 30.6 | 2.08% | 8 |
| Saudi Arabia | 29.5 | 2.00% | 9 |
| South Korea | 24.6 | 1.67% | 10 |
| India | 22.4 | 1.52% | 11 |
| Australia | 17.2 | 1.17% | 12 |
| Brazil | 16.2 | 1.10% | 13 |
| Canada | 15 | 1.02% | 14 |
| Spain | 14.4 | 0.98% | 15 |
| Turkey | 11.6 | 0.79% | 16 |
| Israel | 11 | 0.75% | 17 |
| Netherlands | 9.9 | 0.67% | 18 |
| United Arab Emirates | 9.5 | 0.65% | 19 |
| Taiwan | 7.7 | 0.52% | 20 |
| Greece | 7.3 | 0.50% | 21 |
| Iran | 7.2 | 0.49% | 22 |
| Myanmar | 6.9 | 0.47% | 23 |
| Singapore | 6.3 | 0.43% | 24 |
| Poland | 6.2 | 0.42% | 25 |
| Sweden | 5.8 | 0.39% | 26 |
| Colombia | 5.4 | 0.37% | 27 |
| Chile | 4.7 | 0.32% | 28 |
| Belgium | 4.4 | 0.30% | 29 |
| Egypt | 4.3 | 0.29% | 30 |
| Pakistan | 4.2 | 0.29% | 31 |
| Denmark | 3.9 | 0.26% | 32 |
| Indonesia | 3.6 | 0.24% | 33 |
| Switzerland | 3.5 | 0.24% | 34 |
| Kuwait | 3.5 | 0.24% | 35 |
| South Africa | 3.5 | 0.24% | 36 |
| Oman | 3.3 | 0.22% | 37 |
| Malaysia | 3.2 | 0.22% | 38 |
| Mexico | 3.2 | 0.22% | 39 |
| Portugal | 3.1 | 0.21% | 40 |
| Algeria | 3.1 | 0.21% | 41 |
| Finland | 2.8 | 0.19% | 42 |
| Austria | 2.6 | 0.18% | 43 |
| Venezuela | 2.6 | 0.18% | 44 |
| Czech Republic | 2.5 | 0.17% | 45 |
| Romania | 2.3 | 0.16% | 46 |
| Qatar | 2.3 | 0.16% | 47 |
| Thailand | 2.3 | 0.16% | 48 |
| Morocco | 2.2 | 0.15% | 49 |
| Argentina | 1.9 | 0.13% | 50 |
| Ukraine | 1.7 | 0.12% | 51 |
| Cuba | 1.7 | 0.12% | 52 |
| Angola | 1.6 | 0.11% | 53 |
| New Zealand | 1.5 | 0.10% | 54 |
| Hungary | 1.3 | 0.09% | 55 |
| Ireland | 1.1 | 0.07% | 56 |
| Jordan | 1.1 | 0.07% | 57 |
| Peru | 1.1 | 0.07% | 58 |
| North Korea | n/a | n/a | 59 |
| Global Total (not all countries shown): 1,472.7 | 100% | n/a | |
8 comments:
Of course we spend more than other countries spend on security. That's why we're able to enjoy freedom. Should we pare back the budget and spend only as much as Finlnad does?
No one else has as much to protect! Finland doesn't have to worry about it because they don't have a target on their chest! But we do. Everyone (meaning everyone who is a "bad guy") is gunning for us. But I'm sure Obama will have all our trust built back up in no time and then we won't have to worry about it, just like Finland.
I'm not sure that comparing what we spend to what others spend on the same category really tells us anything. If you want to be critical of military spending then look at the amount we spend in comparison to the rest of our own budget.
SCOREBOARD
NATO allies 72
Axis of Evil 29
Looks like we're right where we need to be! :)
This is expected when the U.N and most other nations piggy-back off the U.S. military for most international military operations. They expect us to be the world police but at the same time hate us for it!
I for one believe strongly in the Boy Scout Motto, "Be Prepared!" It is better to have an abundant defense than to be stretched thin and not be prepared.
We are economically weak and it would be unwise to weaken ourselves defensively which would make the target on our chest just that much bigger!
Axis of Evil is also a phrase I think should be done away with.
Chris,
Just to point out here, President Obama (of whom you agree with and support more on policy) has requested form congress an increase in war funds of about $83.4 billion.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5386BX20090410?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&rpc=22&sp=true
Sure. He's got a big mess to clean up, a mess he inherited. I trust his judgment. Besides, I feel better knowing that the government is also investing $164 billion to reform and update our nation's education and infrastructure. At least we're putting more money where it actually counts in the long run.
I said "Axis of Evil" for two reasons and two reasons only:
1. because I knew it would bug you
2. because you'd know which nations I was referring to.
Also, every President is always cleaning up the last guy's mess.
Just remember this..... NO Presidente ever had to deal with what W inherited. It' so easy to be an armchair quarterback after the fact. I'd like to see what Clinton or Obama might have done after 9-11 and I'm not talking militarily, I'm talking economically (although they are closely tied).
Last observation: you said it's ok that Obama is spending $83.4 billion because you basically agree with his diplomatic approach. If McCain had won and spent the same 83.4 billion, would you still be ok with it?
Good question. I would because McCain would have inherited the same and we have to continue the fight.
But even more so, I would have if McCain balanced it with $164 billion to reform and update our nation's education and infrastructure, like the Obama administration.
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