Why America Can't Have Nice Things

Israel receives approximately $3.8 billion annually from the United States in military aid, with additional supplemental funding in recent years.

Here's a breakdown of the financial support:

🇺🇸 Regular Annual Aid

$3.8 billion per year: This is the baseline amount agreed upon in a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2016, covering fiscal years 2019–2028.
Most of this aid is provided through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, which requires Israel to spend the funds on U.S.-made military equipment and services.

💰 Supplemental Aid in Recent Years

FY 2023: Israel received $3.31 billion, nearly all of it military aid.
FY 2024: Aid surged to at least $12.5 billion, including:

$3.8 billion from the regular MOU allocation
$8.7 billion from a supplemental appropriations act passed in April 2024
An additional $5.4 billion was allocated for replenishing U.S. weapons stocks used to support Israel, though this is not always counted in direct aid totals

Cumulative Support

Since its founding, Israel has received over $310 billion in total U.S. aid (adjusted for inflation), making it the largest cumulative recipient of American foreign assistance. (Boy. THAT would fix some roads!)

This aid reflects a longstanding strategic partnership and is primarily focused on defense and security cooperation. If you're curious about how this compares to aid given to other countries or how it's used in detail, I can dig deeper into that too.

How much has the U.S. government spend on drug cartel interdiction per year for the last decade in the Caribbean and elsewhere?

Over the past decade, the U.S. government has spent between $4 billion and $6.5 billion annually on drug interdiction efforts globally, including operations in the Caribbean. Spending has increased in recent years due to the fentanyl crisis. (I say just let the shit come on in and let anybody stupid enough to use it and die from it just go ahead. Nothing wrong with a little "self-Darwinization".)

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

💵 Annual Drug Interdiction Spending (Global)

FY 2015–2020: Roughly $4–5 billion per year was allocated to drug interdiction across agencies like the DEA, Coast Guard, and Department of Homeland Security.
FY 2021–2023: Spending rose to $6.0–6.2 billion annually, reflecting increased efforts to combat synthetic drugs like fentanyl.
FY 2024: The budget included $6.5 billion for drug interdiction, plus $1.2 billion in supplemental funding for longer-term fentanyl countermeasures.
FY 2025 Request: The Biden Administration requested $6.5 billion again, with additional investments in border security and international drug control.

🌴 Caribbean-Specific Funding

Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI): This regional program has received $60–85 million annually over the past decade to support interdiction, law enforcement, and rule-of-law efforts in Caribbean nations.
FY 2025 Request: CBSI is slated for $81 million, part of broader $2.2 billion foreign assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean. (Are we about to get into a war with Venezuela over this silly shit?)

Other Regional Interdiction Efforts

Colombia: Received $400–500 million annually, mostly for counternarcotics operations.
Mexico: Typically receives $100–120 million per year for drug interdiction and rule-of-law programs.
Central America: Funding supports migration-related security and drug trafficking prevention, often exceeding $600 million annually.

📈 Trends and Priorities

Spending has shifted toward synthetic drug threats, especially fentanyl, with new coalitions and task forces launched in 2023–2024.
Interdiction efforts now include international cooperation, precursor chemical tracking, and public health interventions.

If you’d like a year-by-year chart or want to explore how this compares to domestic drug treatment funding, I can break that down next.

How much money has the U.S. government spent on operations in the Ukraine over the last decade?

The U.S. government has spent over $175 billion on operations related to Ukraine

over the past decade, with the vast majority allocated since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

🪖 Total Spending Since 2015

Over $175 billion has been appropriated by Congress for Ukraine-related operations, including military aid, humanitarian assistance, economic support, and U.S. agency activities.
$128 billion of that total has been committed directly to the Ukrainian government for defense, civilian salaries, infrastructure, and emergency relief. (That bought so oligarch mega-yachts I'll bet!)

📆 Timeline of Major Funding

2015–2021: Aid was modest, averaging $300–500 million per year, focused on military training, anti-corruption efforts, and economic development.
2022–2024: Aid surged dramatically following Russia’s invasion:
- Five major bills passed by Congress totaling $175 billion in spending.
- Department of Defense received $62.3 billion, used for weapons, ammunition, and replenishing U.S. stockpiles.
- USAID and State Department received $46.1 billion, supporting Ukraine’s civilian budget, refugee assistance, and energy infrastructure.

Spending Breakdown by Agency

Agency	Approximate Funding	Purpose
Department of Defense (DOD)	$62.3 billion	Weapons, training, logistics
USAID	$37 billion	Civilian salaries, infrastructure, relief
State Department	$9 billion	Refugee aid, diplomacy, foreign military aid
Other U.S. Agencies	$1.6 billion	Nuclear security, sanctions enforcement

Sources:

🏭 Domestic Spending Impact

A significant portion of the aid is spent within the U.S., funding defense manufacturing in over 70 cities, supporting American jobs and replenishing military stockpiles.

If you’d like to explore how this compares to U.S. spending in other conflict zones like Afghanistan or Israel, I can break that down next.

What has been the total of U.S. military, naval, air, marine and all other defense spending over the last decade?

Over the past decade (2015–2024), the United States has spent approximately $8.5 trillion on defense, including military, naval, air, marine, and other national security operations.

Here’s a breakdown of annual defense spending and key insights:

📊 Annual U.S. Defense Spending (2015–2024)

Fiscal Year	Approx. Spending (USD)
2015	$598 billion
2016	$611 billion
2017	$639 billion
2018	$682 billion
2019	$732 billion
2020	$778 billion
2021	$806 billion
2022	$860 billion
2023	$916 billion
2024	$849 billion (requested)

Total (2015–2024): ≈ $8.47 trillion (Okay. So for the mathematically challenged, a MILLION is a thousand thousands. A BILLION is a thousand millions and a TRILLION is a thousand billions.)

🪖 What’s Included in Defense Spending

Department of Defense (DoD): Covers Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force operations.
Defense-Wide Programs: Includes cybersecurity, nuclear deterrence, and intelligence.
Military Personnel: Salaries, pensions, healthcare, and housing.
Operations & Maintenance: Training, logistics, and base operations.
Procurement & R&D: Weapons systems, aircraft, ships, and future tech.
Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO): Previously used for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (phased out after 2021).

🛰️ FY 2025 and Beyond

FY 2025 Request: $849.8 billion, with a proposed authorization of $925 billion including defense-wide expenditures.
FY 2026 Proposal: $892.6 billion, with emphasis on drones, missile systems, and modernization

🏭 Domestic Impact

Defense spending supports millions of U.S. jobs, especially in manufacturing, aerospace, and technology sectors.
Funds are distributed across all 50 states, with major contracts awarded to companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.

If you’d like a breakdown by military branch or want to compare this to other countries’ defense budgets, I can dive into that next.

How does the real American war-based economy compare with the fictional Harkonnen society in the movie "Dune"? Or the Orc armies of Sauron in Lord of the RIngs?

This is a provocative and fascinating comparison—drawing parallels between the real-world U.S. defense economy and the fictional war machines of Dune and The Lord of the Ringsopens up a rich space for reflection on power, industry, and ideology.

🇺🇸 The U.S. War-Based Economy

The United States has what many scholars call a military-industrial complex—a vast network of defense contractors, research institutions, and government agencies that drive innovation, employment, and foreign policy. Key features include:

Massive Spending: Over $850 billion annually on defense, supporting millions of jobs and hundreds of companies.
Global Reach: Hundreds of military bases worldwide, arms exports to over 100 countries, and involvement in dozens of conflicts.
Technological Dominance: Cutting-edge weapons development, AI warfare, cyber defense, and space militarization.
Economic Integration: Defense spending is deeply woven into the U.S. economy, influencing everything from education to manufacturing.

Harkonnen Society (Dune)

The Harkonnens are a brutal, exploitative aristocracy whose economy is built on resource extraction and oppression:

Slave Labor: They rule Arrakis through fear, using violence and psychological manipulation to control the population.
Spice Monopoly: Their wealth comes from controlling the spice melange, the most valuable substance in the universe.
Militarized Rule: Their society is hierarchical, sadistic, and obsessed with domination.

Comparison: While the U.S. does not operate on slave labor or overt sadism, critics argue that its global military footprint and resource-driven foreign policy echo Harkonnen-style extraction and control—especially in oil-rich regions. The use of economic leverage and military presence to secure strategic interests can resemble the Harkonnen model of domination, albeit in a more bureaucratic and democratic wrapper.

Orc Armies of Sauron (The Lord of the Rings)

Sauron’s war machine is a monolithic force of destruction, built on:

Total Obedience: Orcs are bred for war, stripped of individuality, and serve a singular evil purpose.
Industrial Devastation: Isengard and Mordor are ecological wastelands, transformed into factories of war.
Endless Expansion: The goal is conquest, annihilation, and submission of all free peoples.

Comparison: The U.S. military is not a mindless horde, but some critics liken aspects of its war economy to the Orc model:

Dehumanization of enemies in propaganda
Environmental damage from military operations
Perpetual war footing, with conflicts spanning decades

Philosophical Reflection

These fictional societies represent extremes—pure exploitation (Harkonnen) and pure destruction (Orcs). The U.S. war economy is far more complex, embedded in democratic institutions, technological progress, and global diplomacy. Yet, the moral questions raised by these comparisons are real:

Is economic dependence on war sustainable—or ethical?
How do we balance national security with global justice?
What happens when innovation is driven by conflict?

If you’re up for it, we could explore how these themes play out in other sci-fi or fantasy worlds—like Star Wars, Foundation, or The Expanse. Or we could flip the lens and ask: what would a peace-based economy look like?

If you had to pick a society or country on the planet Earth that is more exploitative, militaristic and destructive or that has been at war for a larger percentage of its years of existence, who might they be?

That’s a bold and complex question—one that invites both historical scrutiny and philosophical reflection. While no country can be reduced to a single label, some have undeniably shaped their identities around war, expansion, or exploitation. Here are a few contenders, based on historical patterns:

🇺🇸 United States

Years at war: The U.S. has been involved in military conflict for roughly 93% of its existence since 1776—whether in declared wars, covert operations, or military interventions.
Global footprint: Maintains 750+ military bases in over 80 countries.
Economic ties to war: Defense spending exceeds $850 billion annually, fueling a vast military-industrial complex.
Criticism: Accused of supporting coups, exploiting resources, and using war as a tool of foreign policy.

British Empire

Colonial legacy: At its height, Britain controlled 25% of the world’s land and population, often through violent conquest and economic exploitation.
Wars and revolts: From the Opium Wars to the Boer War, Britain was almost constantly engaged in military campaigns to expand or maintain its empire.
Impact: Left deep scars in India, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean—many still grappling with post-colonial trauma.

Mongol Empire

13th-century dominance: Under Genghis Khan, the Mongols created the largest contiguous land empire in history.
Brutality: Their conquests were marked by mass slaughter, destruction of cities, and psychological warfare.
Legacy: While they also promoted trade and cultural exchange, their expansion was undeniably militaristic and devastating.

France

Colonial wars: France fought to maintain control over colonies in Algeria, Vietnam, and West Africa.
Napoleonic Wars: Early 19th-century France under Napoleon was a near-constant battlefield across Europe.
Modern interventions: France remains active militarily in Africa and the Middle East.

🏺 Ancient Rome

Centuries of conquest: Rome expanded through relentless warfare, enslaving populations and exploiting conquered lands.
Militarism as identity: Roman society glorified military service and conquest as civic virtue.
Enduring influence: Its imperial model shaped Western ideas of power and governance.

A Thoughtful Caveat

Every society has layers—art, philosophy, resistance, reform. Even the most militaristic nations have produced movements for peace, justice, and healing. The question isn’t just who’s been most destructive—it’s also who’s learned from it, and who hasn’t.

Would you like to explore how these patterns compare to modern-day powers like China or Russia? Or dive into how peace-oriented societies like Costa Rica or Bhutan offer a counter-model?

I meant in the PRESENT DAY. Same question. But in light of current events.

In the present day, the United States is arguably the most militarily active and globally dominant nation, with a war-based economy that rivals any fictional empire in terms of scale, reach, and influence.

Here’s how it compares in light of current events:

🇺🇸 United States: A Modern War-Based Economy

Global Military Presence: The U.S. maintains 750+ military bases in over 80 countries, more than any other nation in history.
Defense Spending: With $849 billion requested for FY 2025, the U.S. spends more on defense than the next 10 countries combined.
Active Conflicts & Operations:
- Ukraine: Over $175 billion committed since 2022 for military and humanitarian aid.
- Middle East: Continued operations in Iraq, Syria, and support for Israel’s military actions.
- Africa & Asia: Counterterrorism missions, drone strikes, and special forces deployments.
Arms Exports: The U.S. is the largest arms exporter globally, supplying weapons to allies and conflict zones.
Economic Integration: Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing are deeply embedded in the U.S. economy, influencing policy and employment.

Other Militaristic Nations Today

🇷🇺 Russia

Ukraine War: Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has caused over 29,000 deaths in 2023 alone, making it one of the most violent conflicts globally. (Well over half a million dead, maimed, dislocated at this point. Get real!)
Regional Aggression: Ongoing tensions in Georgia, Moldova, and the Arctic.
Militarized Society: Heavy conscription, propaganda, and state control over media and industry.

🇮🇱 Israel

Gaza Conflict: Over 62,000 deaths reported in recent military operations. (Try over a million at this point.)
Occupation & Surveillance: Extensive military control over Palestinian territories and advanced surveillance infrastructure.
U.S.-Backed: Receives $3.8 billion annually in military aid from the U.S., plus supplemental funding.

🇸🇾 Syria

Civil War Aftermath: Despite regime change in 2024, clashes with rebel groups and Israeli forces continue.
Humanitarian Crisis: Millions displaced, infrastructure devastated, and foreign powers still involved.

🇲🇲 Myanmar

Military Junta: Ongoing civil war with ethnic militias and pro-democracy forces.
Airstrikes & Repression: Thousands killed in recent years, with widespread human rights abuses.

🧠 Philosophical Reflection

While countries like Russia and Israel are deeply involved in regional conflicts,

the U.S. stands out for its global reach, economic dependence on war, and institutionalized militarism.

Its defense economy is not just reactive—it’s proactive, shaping foreign policy, technological innovation, and even domestic politics.

If you’re curious, we could explore how peace-oriented nations like Costa Rica or Bhutan offer radically different models—or dive deeper into how fictional societies like the Harkonnens or Mordor mirror these dynamics.

So. Next up we will look at what might happen if the U.S. quit being Harkonnen or Orc type war mongers and just went home to mind its own business, starting with the abolishment of the Federal Reserve. It gets real interesting, real fast. (Like Germany from 1933 to 1940.)

Randwulf