Military spending: how much defense will the American people support?

• Author: Sledge, Nathaniel H., Jr.
• Position: VIEWPOINT

Americans by most measures support a strong national defense. But how much is the country willing to pay for it?

That question may he far from most citizens' minds but it is an important one, especially with the United States facing a staggering debt.

"You cannot have a strong defense in a rotten economy," said retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro, an advisor to Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The nation's defense budget currently equates to less than 5 percent of the U.S. economy. Yet, one should ask whether 4 to 5 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product gives the nation its money's worth.

One way of measuring the return on defense investments is whether more money translates into more capability to defeat our enemies. In this context, if the U.S. military were measured by the might of its enemies, we have little to celebrate.

It is helpful here to look at the results of military engagements during the past several decades, such as Operation Desert One in Iran, the intervention in Grenada, and actions in Somalia, Libya, Panama and the Balkans. The U.S. military merely survived embarrassment in the first three. It acquitted itself pretty well in the second three, two of which were dominated by combat aviation, an area in which the United States enjoys supremacy.

How forces are faring in Iraq and Afghanistan reflects well on the uniformed personnel fighting and sustaining the wars, but the direction and quality of overall policies, strategies, and management of the wars must be left to historians to ponder. Surely, we can do better.

The United States has enjoyed a permissive environment as the lone superpower, with unrivaled military prerogatives. Viewed broadly, the U.S. military ultimately prevails against much weaker foes in part because of its great natural resources, secure geography, dominant culture, and overwhelming political and economic power. Another reason is that enemies were inept and forgettable, but mostly the United States has prevailed because it is a rich nation. Less-than-stellar military performances have occurred against a backdrop of hegemony, relative abundance and prosperity.

This record of success and abundance has led to an entrenched and complacent culture among defense-related institutions. As Gates put it, we are maintaining "20th Century appetites instead of facing 21st Century realities."

Now, the nation must grapple with a dismal fiscal outlook and expected downward pressures on defense spending. Current spending levels are unsustainable. Indeed, if trends persist, by 2017, annual interest payments on the national debt will be larger than the defense budget.

A more efficient allocation of diminishing resources is essential. This will require organizational and strategic reform, and much more fiscal discipline. Ultimately, the nation's ability to execute successfully its national military strategy is at stake.

Opinion surveys tell us that, above all, the military is respected among U.S. institutions. According to a Harris Poll, "military officer" is among the most respected professions, and the annual Gallup Poll puts the military at the top of all institutions. In a world of uncertainty, military service retains a special mystique. One reason is that, since the War of 1812, the U.S. military has not fought a war for national survival. The only exception may be World War II.

Fundamentally, however, Americans know very little about the military.

Proportionately fewer and fewer families contribute sons and daughters to the armed services, and knowledge is limited to what people see on TV or in movies. For many, defense is a subculture, best left to...