who just lost a war to a 2nd-tier (or less) country. Competence is questionable.

Billion dollar high-tech defeated by paper airplanes, basically. But profitable.

(tempted to go on a rant about a country which spends more on military than the next ten countries COMBINED, and now wants to double the budget...)

It's truly absurd.

Mil spending is the highest expression of capitalism and conspicuous consumption. Big, fancy, expensive, splashy items that play well on tv (go BOOM!), and which require immediate replacement spending after every use.

(but we still use 1950s bombers)

We spend more than GB, France, Germany, CHINA, and RUSSIA* combined. But we can't afford health care.

Is this too short for a "rant"? : )

* Numbers there have changed a bit the last few years. I haven't looked lately.

figures you have posted over the years have been truly depressing. Every time I see them, I think of Ike's speech, and a line from a Nora Roberts story set in a parallel,non-militarized, universe, "This is what you can have when you don't spend your resources on war".

* Per Anna From Ukraine's most recent vlogs, the kremlin goblin's new war budget is 65% of their entire budget, with a failing economy.

sent a major expedition to Mars for the cost of one weapons system.

But that was back when we were more prosperous and secure. Now we could have a little more Medicare for the cost.

They certainly wouldn't be coming from Iran and crossing the Atlantic. Intercontinental drones. That idea is ludicrous.

Brought on ships to launch off the east coast? I thought he sank the Iranian navy to the bottom of the sea.

Launched from another country close enough to DC to actually have a chance to get to it? Which one? Canada? Cuba? The Bahamas?

It was a just another stupid screed from the Orange Idiot.