212. How Much is Defense Worth?

In football, defense is probably more valuable to a team than offense. How about America's Defense programs? As this article points out, the 2011 Defense Budget (separate for the overall budget) has been increased to a record high. I'm still pondering the highlights in the article, but have a better feeling that Gates is looking out for our interests both defensively and financially. The back-to-the-moon project is being cut from the non-defense budget; the early-warning defense satellite project in the defense budget is being superseded by the infrared defense satellite project. If I were to guess, the one cut was the alarm, whereas, the infrared is the hammer. I can live with blowing things out of the sky -- don't need sirens to get me scared. And, yes, C-17 transport aircraft are handy for the catastrophes of the world, like Haiti; but, isn't it time other countries ante up for these aircraft? Again, I think Gates realizes this and is correct. Just where the entire $708B goes I have no clue. However, when they state that we need to invest in new technologies, I wonder why they think the building of new command ships with that new technology is not important; they could be right in that any new technology would be retrofitted in older command ships for less. If this is true, I commend them again. A 3.4 increase in Defense is well worth the money considering the restraints also documented in the article. Better than a bridge to nowhere. I sure hope some of the big bucks goes to the personnel. Did you realize some of the Congressmen and women get paid more than the military generals? How about a little rob-Peter and pay-Paul bill?