Increased military investment

Breadcrumbs: The Future of Ubiquitous computing in 2025 --> Political: Increased military investment

Description

After declining in the post-cold war era of the early 1990s, global military spending is on the rise again – threatening to break the one trillion dollar barrier this year, according to a group of UN-appointed military experts. The 16-member group estimates that military spending will rise to nearly $950 billion by the end of 2004, up from $900 billion in 2003. By contrast, rich nations spend $50-60 billion on development aid each year.

After the events of 9-11 the military investment and spending increased all over the world and it is increasing steadily through a new kind of war; the war on terrorism. The "War on Terrorism" was launched in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington D.C. by Al-Qaeda. It has become a central part of U.S. President George W. Bush's foreign and domestic policy. Unlike earlier concepts and definitions of war—with defined nations, boundaries, standing armies, and navies—the "War on Terrorism" has largely been dominated by the use of special forces, intelligence, police work, and diplomacy.

As a consequence of all those investments in military technology many new technologies are first tested and implemented for military applications, but many of these technology research projects have turned out to have less military uses but many civilian ones.

Enablers

• Terrorism
• Iraq War
• New nuclear powers
• Powerful military-industrial corporations
• High civilian casualty rate
• Pressure for more precise weapons

Inhibitors

• Mounting casualties in current wars
• Limited budget available for military spending
• Deals between the countries to limit the military spending

Paradigms

The main reason for the increase in world military spending is the massive increase in the United States, which accounts for almost half of the world total.... In the absence of [appropriations for the new war on terror, and on Iraq], US military expenditure would still show a significant increase, but at a much slower rate, and world military spending would show a rise of 4 per cent rather than 11 per cent in 2003. But it is not just the U.S. military spending. In fact, western militarism often overlaps with civilian functions affecting attitudes to militarism in general. As a result, when revelations come out that some Western military forces may have trained dictators and human rights violators, the justification given may be surprising.

Experts

• Jan Oberg US Department of Justice United Nations
• Defense, intelligence agents
• John Underkoffler designed Common Tactical Blackboard for the defense contractor Raytheon

Timing

Military spending will only be reduced when a president of the United States comes with peaceful talks. When terrorism is almost negligible and the countries feel secure.