Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site loral.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcc6!loral!simard From: simard@loral.UUCP (Ray Simard) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: 7X difference on weapons?? Message-ID: <698@loral.UUCP> Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 23:52:33 EST Article-I.D.: loral.698 Posted: Wed Dec 5 23:52:33 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 8-Dec-84 04:44:59 EST References: <34700004@uiucuxc.UUCP> <1@ucbcad.UUCP> Reply-To: simard@loral.UUCP (Ray Simard) Organization: Loral Instrumentation, San Diego, CA Lines: 80 Summary: >I noticed >in yesterday's (Wednesday) WSJ that The Supreme Soviet, or Parliament >was told that '85 arms spending will be equivalent of $22.38 billion. As the >Journal noted, Soviet spending on arms is believed to be about 2X that amount >by some creative accounting. Anyway, say they're spending about $50 billion >on defense. > >The same day's Journal had an article about how the Pentagon is firm on its >request for $333.7 billion budget for fiscal '86. > >What gives? >How come there is a nearly 7X difference between the two countries >on spending? Among other problems, this observation is a clear case of an apples-and-oranges comparison. It compares Soviet ARMS spending with American MILITARY spending. In case you don't know the difference, here is a (VERY) small list of examples of MILITARY spending that is not ARMS spending: Gas for jeeps Jeeps Coffee for solders Carrots for soldiers Spaghetti for soldiers PAYCHECKS FOR SOLDIERS (Yes, Virginia, they do get paid to be soldiers!) Pensions for soldiers Doorknobs for barracks Doors to put the doorknobs on Wrenches so soldiers can fix things (I don't like them costing $450 either) Hamburger for soldiers Polish for the brass fixtures on Navy ships Navy ships Loudspeakers for the PA systems on Navy ships Loudspeakers for the PA systems elsewhere than Navy ships Spare parts for jeeps (see item #2 above) Beds for soldiers Linens for beds for soldiers Pillows for beds for soldiers Pillowcases for pillows for beds for soldiers Barbed wire for fences for military facilities Paint for Navy ships Paint for things other than Navy ships Radar units for Navy ships Antennae for radar units for Navy ships Motors to make the anennae for radar units for Navy ships go around Ropes to tie the Navy ships to the dock Docks to tie the ropes to to keep the ships from drifting from Pearl to Subic all by themselves Lightswitches Coffeepots to brew the coffee I mentioned earlier in. Radios to listen to Radios to talk on Airplanes Rubber handles for some of the switches and knobs in the airplanes Dishes to eat the carrots and spaghetti and other as yet unmentioned foodstuffs from by the soldiers. Let's see, have I missed anything? Let's also keep this in mind when someone decides that we're spending 200-300 billion on nuclear weapons. We're spending $21 billion on nuclear weapons. A lot of money, but keep things in perspective. -- [ I am not a stranger, but a friend you haven't met yet ] Ray Simard Loral Instrumentation, San Diego {ucbvax, ittvax!dcdwest}!sdcsvax!sdcc6!loral!simard ...Though we may sometimes disagree, You are still a friend to me!