I’ve been beating this drum for awhile now, but when the Secretary of Defense comes out in a speech advocating that the Pentagon must cut its budget, it’s time to sit up and take notice. In a time of prolonged recession, when we’re simultaneously fighting two far-flung wars, it only stands to reason that something needs to give. Beyond that, though, there’s also the question of what sort of country we want to be. Is it truly necessary that America be the world’s sole moral policeman? How can we just the money we spend on defense when children in this country suffer, education deteriorates, and millions do not have access to adequate or even affordable health care?
Rather than bemoan all that’s wrong, or all our misplaced priorities, I’m wondering if the time hasn’t come for us to begin asking some hard questions. From where I sit, Question #1 is simple: What kind of country do we want to be? Do we want to be known for projecting military power around the globe, for conducting foreign policy from the barrel of a gun? Do we want to be known for global bullying as we attempt to force American-style democracy upon nations lacking the infrastructure, the history, and the wherewithal to sustain it? Do we want to be known as a country that neglects it’s own as ever more of our tax dollars are shipped overseas in the form of costly and disposable weapons systems? Are we really OK with idea of being known for cutting-edge weapons systems while maintaining a health care and educational system that in some aspects can only charitably be described as Third World?
America is the wealthiest, most powerful, and most technologically advanced country on Earth. For reasons that defy explanation, we’ve acquiesced to system that uses this power for evil instead of good. We’re damned good at devising new and ever-more advanced ways of killing people; what would happen if we applied some of that ingenuity and acumen to coming up with ways to support life? How many people die worldwide because they lack access to clean drinking water? How many people die from curable diseases because medicines aren’t available to them? How many people lack access to even the most basic health care?
I’m not going to throw numbers around, because I think any reasonable person can understand what I’m talking about. I’m not talking about shutting down the Pentagon and forcing the government to hold a bake sale in order to buy a fighter jet. Nonetheless, it might just be a good thing if we changed our thinking about how we employ our vast resources. Are we OK with the idea of living in fear and bombing those we feel threatened by back to the Stone Age? Or can we see ourselves clear to engaging with the world on a more human level in order that we can try to make this a better, safer, and healthier place for all of us?
When the Secretary of Defense comes out and says enough is enough, it’s time to take a good, long collective look in the mirror. There’s really only one very simple questioning we should be asking ourselves: Is this who we want to be?
WE DESERVE BETTER…and so does the rest of the world.
