Kevin Duffy on national defense

The best, most efficient defense is a strong economy (i.e., must be free and open) and commercial ties (interconnectedness, your neighbors have too much to lose by going to war with you).  Neutrality is also important to avoid entangling alliances.  High gun ownership levels provide a second line of defense.  This is basic Founding Fathers stuff. 

The U.S. also has the enviable position of friendly neighbors to the north and south and oceans to the east and west.  This is probably the most defendable place on earth.  There is no way the U.S. needs to spend 3.5% of GDP on its military, i.e. 40% of the world total with 4% of the world's population. 

The military industrial complex is a problem.  They are not exactly an impartial assessor of global threats.  They're a protection racket that constantly needs to justify their own existence.  Like all government entities, they want to grow.  They can't be trusted and they're constantly creating external enemies and making us less secure.

~ Kevin Duffy, April 20, 2025