How Much Should We Spend On Defence?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31857044
Given that we spend almost half of what we spend on defence on giving money to rich people in poor countries, is it time to get our priorities right?

[andy-hughes]

I wonder, in the increasingly peaceful terms we live in (on a worldwide basis) if it is not time to agree to contribute a proportional sum to America's defence budget, and agree that they will defend us - and then we can scrap our immorally expensive (and increasingly redundant) nuclear deterrant.

[Gromit]

I thoughy you were in banking Tora. Your figures are some off.

Uk Defence spending 2.3% of GDP.
Overseas aid spending 0.7% of GDP.

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS

In both cases, the spending should set a minimum that can be expanded, a war, a drought.
The cuts in military spending under the Coalition has probably gone too far. But the likes of you are constantly telling us that we should not be the worlds policeman.

In world terms we are a very high spender on defence. Only the cash the stupid rich Arabs spend more.

[whiskeryron]

How much would it cost to put de-fence all round the British isles ( de wooden fence X 20 Feet high )? That'll keep johnny foreigner out.

[jim360]

Why all the fuss about 2% if we spend more than that already?

But percentages can be misleading anyway. The point is that the money spent is spent well, although what the hell that actually means in this case I don't know.

More to the point, defence spending shouldn't be seen as something that is in competition with foreign aid. The two are complementary (and, while some foreign aid undoubtedly goes to the wrong people, it's rather more nuanced than that).

[retrocop]

Gromit
I think TTT is talking about the defence of this country which we happen to like. He wasn't,correct me if I am wrong, talking about offensive actions and being the Worlds Policeman.He is talking about priorities.

[mushroom25]

//increasingly peaceful terms we live in //

really andy?

so, lets ignore IS shall we? and the russians annxexing of Crimea, and the shooting down of a civilian plane over donetsk? and the threat of annexation hanging over the baltics? and north korea?

[-Talbot-]

I'm totally for overseas aid, but we should not just give the money to dictators or even level headed leaders to squander. In many cases we should give the whole package, money, materials and workers to make sure the job gets done.

[-Talbot-]

We should spend more on defence.

[retrocop]

I know Ikeep banging on about India as an example but they probably spend more money on defence with the money that we send them than our government spends on our own!!

[dannyk13]

We need to spend enough money to ensure an adequate defence strategy

[andy-hughes]

mushroom - // //increasingly peaceful terms we live in //

really andy?

so, lets ignore IS shall we? and the russians annxexing of Crimea, and the shooting down of a civilian plane over donetsk? and the threat of annexation hanging over the baltics? and north korea? //

That is not what I suggested.

In terms of direct military conflict, we are far less at risk in terms of military invasion than we have ever been - which is reflected by the wholesale scaling back of our armed forces.

My suggestion is that we engage an 'umbrella' defence with the US - they can far more easily afford up-to-date nuclear deterents than can we with our crippling nuclear defence spending.

[retrocop]

AH
///My suggestion is that we engage an 'umbrella' defence with the US - they can far more easily afford up-to-date nuclear deterents than can we with our crippling nuclear defence spending. ///
Surely that is the point of this thread.If we spent less on overseas aid we would have more in the kitty to maintain our nuclear defence .
Why the heck should we beggar ourselves and rely on the US to defend us.
Not many years ago we finished paying off the lend lease.Their interest rates are pretty high.We should stand on our own two feet. Not rely on other countries to bail us out again.

[jim360]

Since foreign aid is at most 0.7% of GDP, not all of which will go to India, while the Defence budget is somewhere near 2%, the idea that India spends "money on defence with the money that we send them than our government spends on our own" is evidently a nonsense -- although the actual point is a good one. Foreign aid ought to be well-targeted, and increasingly giving it to India as an example becomes less reasonable.

Just better not to wrap this in hyperbole.

[ToraToraTora]

well we seem to have untold Billions to spend on WSS but our troops have to buy their own body armour!

[retrocop]

AH
you may or may not know that America spends less on overseas aid than we do.
0.19% compared with our 0.56% per income. If they were that generous they could just lend us a couple of their fully equipped aircraft carriers to tide us over whilst our are still on the slips and costs rising!!

[youngmafbog]

// the idea that India spends "money on defence with the money that we send them than our government spends on our own" is evidently a nonsense //

Why is it a nonsense?

We send them money and they spend on their defense budget, so it does in some way contribute.

[jim360]

That's because I missed out the important qualifier: "more". India cannot mathematically spend more of our money on their defence than we do on our own. Like I said later, though, the over-riding point is an important one to consider.

[Gromit]

Retrocop,
The link which TTT used was about the defence budget. The figures alluded to in the question are about all military spending. As far as I know, the Min of Def do not break down their budget between defensive and offensive spending. I'm sure after defending this country there will be enough for a few bombs for kiddie cinemas abroad.

[Gromit]

Retrocop
// India as an example but they probably spend more money on defence with the money that we send them than our government spends on our own. //

You get 1st prize for the stupidest made up fact of the day.

2014 UK Defence budget = £34.5billion.
2014 Aid to India = £196million.

UK and India spend about the same per cent of GDP on their Military. But the UK economy is much larger than India's.

[Gromit]

India Military spending $49.1billion.
UK aid to India $290million.

UK military spending $56.2billion.