Guns Instead of Economizing

America is now in a state of emergency; it is almost nationally bankrupt. The irony: That’s why there won’t be a lot of change. At least not for the military, because if the military changes too much, America’s claim to leadership will be in jeopardy.

The debts of the richest country in the world are slowly but surely reaching their allowed limit of $14.3 trillion. Of every dollar that President Obama pays out, he borrows 40 cents from China. The Middle Kingdom is the biggest believer in the highly indebted country.

Treasury Secretary Geithner has warned that America might soon be bankrupt: Nurses, policemen, teachers and soldiers are vainly waiting for their salaries. Congress can’t help but set the peak of the debt mountain even higher. That would have to happen on March 31 at the latest, but it may be difficult given the new Republican majority in the House, whose most noble goals are saving money and debt reduction. But they don’t say how.

Obama and Secretary of Defense Gates have already started bringing the biggest chunk of the U.S. budget under the knife, even if only cosmetically. The defense budget of $549 billion is the biggest in the world. Next year it is projected to increase to $553 billion. How ridiculous does it seems to go on a five-year, $78 billion diet.

The U.S. will watch itself give military and economic superiority to its nemesis, China. Pictures of a stealth fighter jet prototype, which Peking could soon start using, are already going around the internet. Will Obama and Gates counter with a small peace-keeping force? That would equal capitulation.