U.S. warplanes and the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan are seen during a deployment in the Indian Ocean on June 32, 2021. (Photo: U.S. Pacific Fleet/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)
Apr 25, 2022
Global military expenditures surpassed $2 trillion for the first time ever last year, with the United States spending more on its war-making capacity than the next nine nations combined, according to new data published Monday.
"Spending 12 times as much on our military as Russia didn't prevent a war in Europe. It just deprived us of resources at home."
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported an all-time high of $2.1 trillion in worldwide military spending for 2021, a 0.7% increase from 2020 levels and the seventh straight year of increased expenditures.
"Even amid the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, world military spending hit record levels," SIPRI senior researcher Diego Lopes da Silva said in a statement. "There was a slowdown in the rate of real-terms growth due to inflation. In nominal terms, however, military spending grew by 6.1%."
Tori Bateman, policy advocacy coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group, said that "this year, we've seen how military spending fails to keep us safe. It's shameful that governments, especially the United States, continue to destabilize our world with more weapons, while failing to address climate change, public health, and other true global crises."
"It's time for the United States, and world leaders everywhere, to cut military spending and commit to solving our problems for real," she added.
\u201cAs climate change worsens and as the pandemic drags into its third year, the world responds by funneling a record amount of money into warfare. \n\nIf global leaders actually care about charting a more secure future, then we need a massive realignment in spending priorities.\u201d— FCNL (Quakers) (@FCNL (Quakers)) 1650901216
With $801 billion--or 38% of total global military spending--the United States spent more in 2021 than the next nine nations combined: China ($293 billion), India ($76.6 billion), the United Kingdom ($68.4 billion), Russia ($65.9 billion), France ($56.6 billion), Germany ($56 billion), Saudi Arabia ($55.6 billion), Japan ($54.1 billion), and South Korea ($50.2 billion).
U.S. funding for military research and development increased by nearly a quarter between 2012 and 2021, while arms procurement expenditures fell by 6.4% over that same period, a trend that "suggests that the United States is focusing more on next-generation technologies," according to SIPRI researcher Alexandra Marksteiner.
"The U.S. government has repeatedly stressed the need to preserve the U.S. military's technological edge over strategic competitors," she added.
\u201cNEW @SIPRIorg report shows global military spending reached an all-time high in 2021\u2014$2.1 trillion. \n\nThe U.S. spent $800+ billion on "defense" last year, far more than any other country. \n\nStory by @JohannesLedel & graphic by @valrakovsky @AFP: https://t.co/ZUa64f6v6W\u201d— Quincy Institute (@Quincy Institute) 1650898241
The latest SIPRI analysis comes weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden rejected progressive lawmakers' calls for Pentagon spending cuts and asked Congress to green-light more than $813 in new military spending for the next fiscal year--a $31 billion increase from current levels.
That amount includes nearly $146 billion for the procurement of new weaponry, including Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, Northrup Grumman B-21 bombers, and Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarines manufactured by General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The new SIPRI report also comes as some of the largest U.S. weapons makers are gearing up for what is expected to be a big earnings week as the West's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine--providing Ukrainian forces with billions of dollars in weaponry--fuels arms industry profits.
Lindsay Koshgarian, director of the National Priorities Project at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Policy Studies, recently noted that "spending 12 times as much on our military as Russia didn't prevent a war in Europe. It just deprived us of resources at home."
"Even during a pandemic, supply chain crisis, and painful inflation, we'll put more resources into the military and war than public health, education, green jobs, affordable housing, scientific and medical research, child care, and every other domestic need--combined," she wrote. "This special treatment for the Pentagon recklessly squanders precious resources that could be used to strengthen our families and communities against our compounding crises at home."
\u201c"Since the pandemic began, the U.S. government has spent 214 times more money on the U.S. military than on vaccines for global donation. Or, the money put toward global vaccine donations is less than 0.5% of military spending during this period." \ud83d\ude43\n\nhttps://t.co/33cKez20iz\u201d— Win Without War (@Win Without War) 1650816300
Last week, an analysis by In These Times and Zain Rizvi at the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen revealed that the U.S. has spent 7.5 times more money on nuclear weapons than on global Covid-19 vaccine donations, despite Biden's pledge that "America will become the arsenal of vaccines as we were the arsenal of democracy during World War II."
"What's keeping us safe," asked Koshgarian, "Is it maintaining this huge nuclear stockpile or delivering these vaccines?"
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
arms tradechinacovid-19francegermanyindiainstitute for policy studiesjapanjoe bidenmilitarismnational priorities projectpentagonpublic citizenrussiasaudi arabiasouth koreaukraineunited kingdomunited statesvaccines
Global military expenditures surpassed $2 trillion for the first time ever last year, with the United States spending more on its war-making capacity than the next nine nations combined, according to new data published Monday.
"Spending 12 times as much on our military as Russia didn't prevent a war in Europe. It just deprived us of resources at home."
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported an all-time high of $2.1 trillion in worldwide military spending for 2021, a 0.7% increase from 2020 levels and the seventh straight year of increased expenditures.
"Even amid the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, world military spending hit record levels," SIPRI senior researcher Diego Lopes da Silva said in a statement. "There was a slowdown in the rate of real-terms growth due to inflation. In nominal terms, however, military spending grew by 6.1%."
Tori Bateman, policy advocacy coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group, said that "this year, we've seen how military spending fails to keep us safe. It's shameful that governments, especially the United States, continue to destabilize our world with more weapons, while failing to address climate change, public health, and other true global crises."
"It's time for the United States, and world leaders everywhere, to cut military spending and commit to solving our problems for real," she added.
\u201cAs climate change worsens and as the pandemic drags into its third year, the world responds by funneling a record amount of money into warfare. \n\nIf global leaders actually care about charting a more secure future, then we need a massive realignment in spending priorities.\u201d— FCNL (Quakers) (@FCNL (Quakers)) 1650901216
With $801 billion--or 38% of total global military spending--the United States spent more in 2021 than the next nine nations combined: China ($293 billion), India ($76.6 billion), the United Kingdom ($68.4 billion), Russia ($65.9 billion), France ($56.6 billion), Germany ($56 billion), Saudi Arabia ($55.6 billion), Japan ($54.1 billion), and South Korea ($50.2 billion).
U.S. funding for military research and development increased by nearly a quarter between 2012 and 2021, while arms procurement expenditures fell by 6.4% over that same period, a trend that "suggests that the United States is focusing more on next-generation technologies," according to SIPRI researcher Alexandra Marksteiner.
"The U.S. government has repeatedly stressed the need to preserve the U.S. military's technological edge over strategic competitors," she added.
\u201cNEW @SIPRIorg report shows global military spending reached an all-time high in 2021\u2014$2.1 trillion. \n\nThe U.S. spent $800+ billion on "defense" last year, far more than any other country. \n\nStory by @JohannesLedel & graphic by @valrakovsky @AFP: https://t.co/ZUa64f6v6W\u201d— Quincy Institute (@Quincy Institute) 1650898241
The latest SIPRI analysis comes weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden rejected progressive lawmakers' calls for Pentagon spending cuts and asked Congress to green-light more than $813 in new military spending for the next fiscal year--a $31 billion increase from current levels.
That amount includes nearly $146 billion for the procurement of new weaponry, including Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, Northrup Grumman B-21 bombers, and Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarines manufactured by General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The new SIPRI report also comes as some of the largest U.S. weapons makers are gearing up for what is expected to be a big earnings week as the West's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine--providing Ukrainian forces with billions of dollars in weaponry--fuels arms industry profits.
Lindsay Koshgarian, director of the National Priorities Project at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Policy Studies, recently noted that "spending 12 times as much on our military as Russia didn't prevent a war in Europe. It just deprived us of resources at home."
"Even during a pandemic, supply chain crisis, and painful inflation, we'll put more resources into the military and war than public health, education, green jobs, affordable housing, scientific and medical research, child care, and every other domestic need--combined," she wrote. "This special treatment for the Pentagon recklessly squanders precious resources that could be used to strengthen our families and communities against our compounding crises at home."
\u201c"Since the pandemic began, the U.S. government has spent 214 times more money on the U.S. military than on vaccines for global donation. Or, the money put toward global vaccine donations is less than 0.5% of military spending during this period." \ud83d\ude43\n\nhttps://t.co/33cKez20iz\u201d— Win Without War (@Win Without War) 1650816300
Last week, an analysis by In These Times and Zain Rizvi at the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen revealed that the U.S. has spent 7.5 times more money on nuclear weapons than on global Covid-19 vaccine donations, despite Biden's pledge that "America will become the arsenal of vaccines as we were the arsenal of democracy during World War II."
"What's keeping us safe," asked Koshgarian, "Is it maintaining this huge nuclear stockpile or delivering these vaccines?"
From Your Site Articles
Global military expenditures surpassed $2 trillion for the first time ever last year, with the United States spending more on its war-making capacity than the next nine nations combined, according to new data published Monday.
"Spending 12 times as much on our military as Russia didn't prevent a war in Europe. It just deprived us of resources at home."
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported an all-time high of $2.1 trillion in worldwide military spending for 2021, a 0.7% increase from 2020 levels and the seventh straight year of increased expenditures.
"Even amid the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, world military spending hit record levels," SIPRI senior researcher Diego Lopes da Silva said in a statement. "There was a slowdown in the rate of real-terms growth due to inflation. In nominal terms, however, military spending grew by 6.1%."
Tori Bateman, policy advocacy coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group, said that "this year, we've seen how military spending fails to keep us safe. It's shameful that governments, especially the United States, continue to destabilize our world with more weapons, while failing to address climate change, public health, and other true global crises."
"It's time for the United States, and world leaders everywhere, to cut military spending and commit to solving our problems for real," she added.
\u201cAs climate change worsens and as the pandemic drags into its third year, the world responds by funneling a record amount of money into warfare. \n\nIf global leaders actually care about charting a more secure future, then we need a massive realignment in spending priorities.\u201d— FCNL (Quakers) (@FCNL (Quakers)) 1650901216
With $801 billion--or 38% of total global military spending--the United States spent more in 2021 than the next nine nations combined: China ($293 billion), India ($76.6 billion), the United Kingdom ($68.4 billion), Russia ($65.9 billion), France ($56.6 billion), Germany ($56 billion), Saudi Arabia ($55.6 billion), Japan ($54.1 billion), and South Korea ($50.2 billion).
U.S. funding for military research and development increased by nearly a quarter between 2012 and 2021, while arms procurement expenditures fell by 6.4% over that same period, a trend that "suggests that the United States is focusing more on next-generation technologies," according to SIPRI researcher Alexandra Marksteiner.
"The U.S. government has repeatedly stressed the need to preserve the U.S. military's technological edge over strategic competitors," she added.
\u201cNEW @SIPRIorg report shows global military spending reached an all-time high in 2021\u2014$2.1 trillion. \n\nThe U.S. spent $800+ billion on "defense" last year, far more than any other country. \n\nStory by @JohannesLedel & graphic by @valrakovsky @AFP: https://t.co/ZUa64f6v6W\u201d— Quincy Institute (@Quincy Institute) 1650898241
The latest SIPRI analysis comes weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden rejected progressive lawmakers' calls for Pentagon spending cuts and asked Congress to green-light more than $813 in new military spending for the next fiscal year--a $31 billion increase from current levels.
That amount includes nearly $146 billion for the procurement of new weaponry, including Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, Northrup Grumman B-21 bombers, and Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarines manufactured by General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The new SIPRI report also comes as some of the largest U.S. weapons makers are gearing up for what is expected to be a big earnings week as the West's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine--providing Ukrainian forces with billions of dollars in weaponry--fuels arms industry profits.
Lindsay Koshgarian, director of the National Priorities Project at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Policy Studies, recently noted that "spending 12 times as much on our military as Russia didn't prevent a war in Europe. It just deprived us of resources at home."
"Even during a pandemic, supply chain crisis, and painful inflation, we'll put more resources into the military and war than public health, education, green jobs, affordable housing, scientific and medical research, child care, and every other domestic need--combined," she wrote. "This special treatment for the Pentagon recklessly squanders precious resources that could be used to strengthen our families and communities against our compounding crises at home."
\u201c"Since the pandemic began, the U.S. government has spent 214 times more money on the U.S. military than on vaccines for global donation. Or, the money put toward global vaccine donations is less than 0.5% of military spending during this period." \ud83d\ude43\n\nhttps://t.co/33cKez20iz\u201d— Win Without War (@Win Without War) 1650816300
Last week, an analysis by In These Times and Zain Rizvi at the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen revealed that the U.S. has spent 7.5 times more money on nuclear weapons than on global Covid-19 vaccine donations, despite Biden's pledge that "America will become the arsenal of vaccines as we were the arsenal of democracy during World War II."
"What's keeping us safe," asked Koshgarian, "Is it maintaining this huge nuclear stockpile or delivering these vaccines?"
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.