[Turbo-ip]

There are some legitimate needs for a foreign US presence in the world. The oil supply in the Middle East must be protected, the North Koreans must be deterred, and the Chinese must be kept in check. Aside from those, I don't see why the US should have more than maybe 1 strategic base here and there anywhere else. Close the hundreds of bases/camps/air strips in Europe except leave one in Italy & Germany, close half the bases in Kuwait/Japan, and just plain get out of the world's business in general. The taxpayers shouldn't have to waste their resources on all this muscle flexing.

The US spends almost $700B annually on defense, and #2 is China at $115B. The next closest is half that $60B. If we slash everything by half to $350B we will be all right. Nobody is going to invade or be stupid enough to launch ICBMs at us, and the oil supply won't go anywhere. It's called priorities

[tadacia]

What about having to hire a cop to direct traffic? I can understand some things, but this is where our OT money gets spent. Send a cop out to sit in his car watching a bunch of guys trim tree branches away from electrical wires.

YAY!

[wvbwxol]

Turns out the mass of NYPD on MacDougal yesterday was there to guard Van Halen ...

Van Halen Rocks Greenwich Village's Cafe Wha?