To Provide for the Common Defense:

Foreign Policy and the American Constitution

To Provide for the Common Defense:

Foreign Policy and the American Constitution

Christopher A. PrebleChristopher A. PrebleChristopher A. PrebleChristopher A. Preble

Tim Pawlenty at Cato, May 25th

• “I’m not one who is going to stand before you and say we should cut the defense budget.”

• “I’m for making sure that America remains the world leader, not becoming second or third or fourth in the list.”

Global Military Expenditures, 2009

Source: IISS, The Military Balance 2011

United States47.88%

East Asia and Australasia

7%

Middle East andNorth Africa

6%

Russia3.73%

Latin America3.35%

Central/South Asia2.65%

Sub-Saharan Africa0.86%

NATO Ex-US17.15%

Non-NATO Europe1.38%

China9.47%

Global Military Expenditures1983-2006

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

USSR/Russia China US

Source: U.S. State Department “World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers” Database

National Security Spending,per Capita, 1998 and 2009

Sources: IISS, The Military Balance 1999-2000; 2011

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

U.S. National Defense Spending1945-2011

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010

Source: The Budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Historical Tables, Table 6-1 -- Composition of Outlays: 1940-2015, pp. 130-132.

U.S. National Defense Spending1945-2011

$0.0

$100.0

$200.0

$300.0

$400.0

$500.0

$600.0

$700.0

1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010

Source: The Budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Historical Tables, Table 6-1 -- Composition of Outlays: 1940-2015, pp. 130-132.

Figures in billions of constant FY 2005 dollars.

$0

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

$800

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Total DOD Budget Base DOD BudgetIraq and Afghanistan 2000 Held Constant

Data compiled by Winslow Wheeler, Straus Military Reform Project, Center for Defense Information. Figures in billions of constant FY 2011 dollars.

U.S. Dept. of Defense Spending2001-2011

Where Are We Going?

• An emerging consensus – We must cut spending, and DoD

should not be exempt• A dispute over how to cut

– Improving efficiency and eliminating waste doesn’t get you very far

• Real cuts are feasible– Politically and strategically, if we

refocus our goals

Strategic Misapprehensions

• At least four false, expensive, and bipartisan assumptions inhibit spending cuts.– Alliances distribute our defense burden rather

than adding to it.– Counterterrorism requires counterinsurgency,

and we can master counterinsurgency.– Primacy pays; we should try to run the world.– Security threats are imminent, and require

urgent attention and persistent global presence.

Libertarians and U.S. Foreign Policy

• “War made the state and the state made war”– Charles Tilly

• War is still “a friend of the state”– Milton Friedman

• Libertarians should treat war “with great skepticism”– David Boaz

U.S. Foreign Policy and the Constitution

• The Founders were right– “Defence against foreign danger have been

always the instruments of tyranny at home.” (Madison)

– “This system will not hurry us into war.” (James Wilson)

• Sen. Barack Obama was right– “Stopping an actual or imminent threat”

• Pres. Obama (and Sen. McCain) are not

Questions?

Christopher PrebleDirector of Foreign Policy

StudiesCato Institute202-218-4630

cpreble@cato.org