Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

We spend about 10x as much on the military as we do on diplomacy and aid. Fine, weapons are expensive. (That is where the money goes, not to soldiers or veterans).
But increasing the big one and slashing the small one is Washington-only mathematics. It will leave us more in debt AND more vulnerable. And that is not just a wooly-headed professor talking: 121 retired generals and admirals have said the same thing. 
Have a listen:
Cut aid diplomacy, and people will die. In many places. In various ways. Refugees will be greater in number and greater in desperation; embassies and military personnel will be less aware of potential threats. Communicable diseases will spread more easily. Moreover, many positive experiences and relationships will be lost, and our standing in the world will be diminished.
All to save small amounts of money while spending continues unchecked in other areas.

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