I basically agree with opebo, a small professional core for highly specialized positions is fine, but otherwise having a standing military is too dangerous, as the American experience so aptly demonstrates.
Hmm.. you mean the imperialism? Or those few occasions when it was used against the subjects? It seems to me that as far as actually punishing the serfs, the american penal system of control has gotten by with only the threat of the military - the police and so forth seem to be quite sufficient for actual use. The foreign adventures have profited the upper class mightily of course, and served to help in deluding the lower class, but I don't know that they were strictly necessary for the enslavement of those at home to be accomplished.
I guess I consider the bloated and corrupt military we have to be less a 'danger' than a miserable side effect of our main illness - the capitalist system.
I meant the imperialism and the massive entitlement people in the military eel with regard to their share of the tax loot; any talks of cuts to the DoD and they announce Armageddon.
Not to mention it's in their interest to promote all the wars.
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