E006: What is the US Military For?

Passionately Wrong Podcast Episode E006

What is the US Military For?

Key takeaway: Our military is one of the only worldwide military power that is not used domestically. As such, the decision to use them and how to use them is a political decision. However, there are right and wrong ways to conduct war that protect our soldiers and bar anything illegal; those strategies and methodologies shouldn’t be controlled by politics. Keep an open mind and realize that your first impression may not be fully informed.

Topics covered in this video:

• The U.S. military is primarily used outside the United States
• Do we need a military bigger than the rest of the world?
• Most countries allow the use of their militaries within their own countries for dealing with domestic problems.
• Is the U.S. army responsible for defending worldwide Democracy?
• The U.S. Military also prepares for peacetime disaster relief by applying its strategies in other countries that are in need.
• There can be multiple purposes: self-interest, preserving democracy, and national security.
• It might be a good idea to divide up the military for different objectives - winning a war, nation-building, and disaster relief.
• There might be some fat that can be trimmed in the military to save money. However, that should be done with caution, weighing the cost and benefits and understanding all the consequences.
• Sometimes the U.S. government pays to train other nations to provide security which can be a cheaper option than sending U.S. troops.