Defense is listed under "Foreign Policy" because Defense is no longer viewed solely as the Founding Fathers viewed it -- as the defense of our homeland against foreign invaders -- but now embraces U.S. military intervention in foreign nations. We need to ask (1) What is our goal and (2) Who can best provide it?
Liberty and Security
Although the federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars a year on "defense," few Americans feel as secure as they did 15 or 20 years ago. Even if we doubled that budget, we would not feel more secure. In fact, if we shipped more arms to foreign nations, doubled the number of soldiers wearing jungle camouflage in our airports, and increased the number of bombs that are capable of obliterating millions of non-combatant civilians, we would probably have an even greater feeling of insecurity. We would feel that our liberties were even more threatened.
Suppose that instead of increasing the defense budget, we radically slashed it. How would this affect our nation's security?
Surprisingly, the more we cut, the more secure we will be.
Even the most inexperienced political observer can guess that the 111th Congress will not cut the defense budget by much, if at all. We can only imagine the effect on Congress and upon the national debate if a Congressman boldly and articulately advocated the following:
But we need much more.
We need a radical reassessment of our national vision. For America's Founding Fathers, that vision was Micah's "Vine & Fig Tree" vision -- of swords being beat into plowshares and every one dwelling safely under his vine and fig tree. President Ronald Reagan, echoing our forefathers, spoke of America as a "city upon a hill," exporting this vision of peace and private property by exporting the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world.
Obviously America's politicians and the "military-industrial complex" have lost this vision.
A vote for Kevin Craig is a vote to put one voice for "Vine & Fig Tree" in Washington D.C.
Many people -- probably most -- would agree that a government monopoly on the delivery of parcel packages was unnecessary. It's a good thing to allow FedEx and UPS to compete with the Post Office. It would probably also be a good thing to let creative entrepreneurs try to deliver Christmas cards for less than 41¢, and not restrict them with a government monopoly. I've spoken with postal employees who are absolutely passionate and adamant that the delivery of 1st-class mail should ONLY be undertaken by the lawful authorities of the federal government.
I disagree with them. I trust UPS or some similar corporation to deliver my Christmas cards securely and inexpensively. And better than the federal government.
The war in Iraq is being fought by "mercenaries" -- employed by private corporations, hired and paid by the U.S. federal government. USA Today reports:
There are now nearly as many private contractors in Iraq as there are U.S. soldiers — and about half of them are private security guards equipped with automatic weapons, body armor, helicopters and bullet-proof trucks.
There are many scholars who believe the economics of private post offices are the same as the economics of private security and defense. Private Security agencies should be allowed to compete to protect us. I'm convinced these scholars are correct, and the time has come to begin discussing privatizing national defense -- along with the Free Market delivery of Christmas cards.
- National Defense at Mises.org
- The Myth of National Defense is a collection of essays by an international assembly of social scientists concerning the relationship between State and war and the possibility of non-statist property defense: by militias, mercenaries, guerrillas, protection-insurance agencies, etc.
- In For A New Liberty Murray Rothbard applies abstract libertarian principles to solve current welfare-state problems. How would a stateless society provide for goods such as education, money, streets, police, courts, national defense, social security, environmental protection, etc.? Here are the answers.
- National Defense at LewRockwell.com
- National Defense at Independent.org
- other sources
What exactly is the "nation" whose defense is contemplated in the phrase "national defense?" Some thoughts.
Privatization
The Independent Institute | Larry Sechrest | “Let Privateers Troll for Bin Laden”
The National Defense Myth by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.
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