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President Trump has proposed a $54 billion increase in defense spending, which he said would be "one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history."
Past administrations have increased military spending, but typically to fulfil a specific mission. Jimmy Carter expanded operations in the Persian Gulf. Ronald Reagan pursued an arms race with the Soviet Union, and George W. Bush waged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr. Trump has not articulated a new mission that would require a military spending increase. This has left analysts wondering what goals he has in mind. Erin M. Simpson, a national security consultant, called Mr. Trump's plans "a budget in search of a strategy."
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/22/us/is-americas-military-big-enough.html
Donald J. Trump - Military Readiness Remarks
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What do you think about the proposed increase in military spending ? Does USA really need more weapons ?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 25 2017, @12:52AM
Isn't that what the 2nd amendment is for? The whole "having a militia" in case your government goes rogue? While having guns is fun for a pastime, the main reason to have it is to protect yourselves from a tyrannical government.
The negative social costs of gun culture are tolerated precisely because of the positive benefits it brings, but only if they are used when necessary.
As for what would stop Trump in such a situation? I guess it depends on whether the military stays loyal to him as a unit, or splinters into factions that fight amongst each other.
Scenario 1: You can engage in asymmetric guerrilla warfare. Be prepared to be labelled as "Terrorists" and "non-state combatants" (like every other guerrilla force in the world) with all the ex-jurisdictional droning and fun in any "interrogation chambers" that you may find yourself in. The unified military would be tough to beat, but it has happened in history that the guerrillas win.
Scenario 2: You basically have a civil war. Who wins will depend on far more factors than I can state here. Be sure that the weakening of the government and subsequent power vacuum will bring in outside countries interested in meddling for their own benefit.