The world’s military planners are spending big on new weapons. Here's how the arms race reflects a larger realignment https://t.co/0MQuyVpG0j ...

Nuclear Weapons & Global Security - The US nuclear arsenal possesses the explosive power equivalent to 50,000 Hiroshima bombs [5] - Nine countries possessing nuclear weapons spent over $100 billion in the last year alone, an 11% increase from 2023 [4] - The US leads and drives the arms race, with China spending one-third of what the US spends on its military [12][13] - Some countries believe having nuclear weapons is a deterrent, especially given broken security guarantees [15][16][17] Economic Impact of Military Spending - US allocates an additional $157 billion in defense and national security spending, on top of the existing $849 billion Department of Defense budget, with $15 billion for new nuclear weapons [6] - High military spending diverts funds from essential services like education, housing, and healthcare [8][9] - The US spends $3 billion a day on the Pentagon while struggling to fund programs that address hunger and disease [14] - Investing in education and healthcare would create more jobs than investing in weapons manufacturing [25] - Military spending is an expense, not an investment, and does not contribute to economic growth [25][26] Lobbying & Revolving Door - Weapon manufacturers engage in significant lobbying efforts [20] - A "revolving door" exists where military officials supervise weapons manufacturers and then take high-paying jobs with those same companies after retirement [20][21]