Armed military personnel (with tasers for "uncooperative" citizens) should be stationed outside every US dwelling to keep us "safe"

America has no 'enemies' that we haven't created with our own corporate and Israeli plunder and cruelty.

With unemployment heading toward 10% and likely to go higher--already near 15% in Michigan, the armed forces serve as a government employment program, and a very expensive one at that--1 billion $ for 30,000 troops comes to $33,000 per person. But you won't get Republicans complaining about this welfare program. The usual culprits will support it, starting with Joseph Lieberman. Better to die on the streets of Kabul than in an American city. You get to see the world before leaving it.

...and the beat goes on...

"The possible expansion from the current strength of 547,400 would be designed "to get them through what is still a stressful period as we draw down in Iraq and continue to plus-up in Afghanistan," Morrell said."

The timing couldn't be more perfect with millions more job losses expected to take place through 2010. And if congress plays their cards "as usual", they'll continue to encourage companies to outsource manufacturing plants so they'll have more unemployed recruits to choose from.

Where to after Afghanistan?

It sure is costly to maintain the empire. This is all being done to support the interests of the very largest corporations and the very wealthy. Of course, it is the American working class that foots the bill, both in terms of the taxes to pay for empire and in the "boots on the ground". We all know the end result - the bankruptcy of the working class in America.

Expanding the US army? Isn't it quite expanded enough already? - The US army counts 3.4 million soldiers total, over 1 percent of citizens. The Indian army has comparable number of soldiers, but trice the population. Only Vietnam (for some reason...), China (double US size army, yet 5 times the population) and both the Koreas (for same reason - a US war) have significantly bigger armies than USA, but they are also significantly less well equipped.

The US alone sells half the weapons in the world annually. In development of new weapons (R&D) the USA counts for 2/3 of annual costs ALONE.

Now they - the Pentagon - "need" to expand the army?

Are we humans really so dangerous that we need all the weapons and armies to protect ourselves from ourselves? Or is it the weapons and armies that are dangerous and themselves create the apparent need for more? Could we be smart enough to hold back on giving in to the impulses to expand the killing-ability?

Reforging "guns into plowshares" has never been a saner and smarter strategy than now, when food and money is scarce globally. Stop spending public (or private) money on war, increase spending on food-production and peaceful population control (i.e. spreading contraceptives and info).

Half the world's 7 billion population live on up to US $ 2 a day, kept that way by the misallocating of benefits of trade-systems to armies - plus kept that poor by the armies themselves, of course.

A main reason we need armies against the poorest half to keep them in place is the cost of armies making and keeping those people poor!

A reasonable range of equality globally can be achieved by allowing the poorest the funds allocated to armies plus redirecting the profit-streams better back to the human makers of profits - the workers. That's getting rid of the poor and the armies in one good swoop. - If only we humans can get together enough to cooperate actively on that - removing starvation-poverty and armies.

The huge US army and all its activities is a main obstacle to that kind of peaceful world.

What a bleeping farce this nation has become. And how quickly it happened.

For oil and Zion if it kills us.

Bring back the draft, so when John and Jane Dough (yes that dough) open their notice in the mail and read "You have thirty days to report to Fort Obama", then maybe we'll get some action in the streets.

Hey America.

The world has learned to fear you more than ever.

Now you are expanding your Army.

They can't possibly tolerate you that much longer.

Then, when the world calls in your lines of 'credit', and you turn on yourselves---you'll need that 'expanded Army'-----to use on your selves.

Good Luck America, you really need it.

Next stop for our corporate military will be Africa..check out www.africom.mil for details on our next "war" for resources.

wow!
an expanding army!
would we be able to blow it up - like a balloon?

If one cannot feel, one can do anything.

During the campaign Senator Obama stated that he would increase the army if elected President. If you voted for Obama you voted for a larger army. This is one campaign promise Obama keeps. Obama voters please stop whining.

Great idea! We need a larger military... I'm all for inducting each and every member of Congress right now, have them 'live' with the military pay and military health benifits, and serve as our ambassadors in far off lands for a few tours....