Article Summary –
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, has proposed a radical reduction in the USA’s military spending and global role. During a speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Kennedy argued that military spending was detrimental to the nation’s health and that America should accept a reduced role in global politics, focusing more on domestic issues and preparing for a multi-polar world. This stance is controversial, especially given that global military spending is at a 35-year high due to recent conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Independent Presidential Candidate Proposes Reduction in US Military Spending
Presidential hopeful, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced a plan to halve military spending by the end of his first presidential term, while advocating for a diminished role of the US in global affairs. He claims military spending weakens national vitality and decries the neglect of domestic issues in the pursuit of perceived national strength.
In a speech delivered at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in California, Kennedy strongly criticized the level of American military spending and the influence of defense contractors. He presented a bleak depiction of American decline over the past six decades, proposing a radically different vision of America’s role in global politics.
Kennedy suggested the US should accept a lesser role on the world stage, redirecting security funding towards domestic programs. He also urged the country to prepare for a multipolar world, where nations like China and Russia gain prominence and the US ceases to be the sole global superpower.
Referring to the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Kennedy criticized the US for maintaining a dated worldview at increasing costs. He opined, “We seem to think we’re still in the same world as in 1991. We are stuck in that past.”
Kennedy’s call for drastic reductions in national security spending starkly contrasts with the current trend of rising global military spending, which has hit a 35-year high partly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As an independent, Kennedy would likely face challenges in garnering the necessary support in Congress to realize such cuts.
Opposition to providing military aid to Ukraine is a central tenet of Kennedy’s campaign. He paints a bleak picture of recent American history to justify his stance, claiming the country has financially drained itself through perpetual foreign wars.
Condemning “Bush-Cheney jingoism,” Kennedy argues the US has funneled wealth into numerous military operations in an attempt to gain global dominion. This, he asserts, has led to an internal decay characterized by chronic disease, drug addiction, and historic economic inequality.
Kennedy praised the diplomatic negotiations with China under the Nixon administration, arguing the necessity to coexist with, rather than intimidate, global rivals. He simultaneously criticized the end of the gold standard by Nixon, asserting that fiat currency – which allows for the printing of unlimited quantities of money – facilitates waging wars.
In Kennedy’s view, fiat currency was devised to fund wars. He claimed wars wouldn’t have happened if politicians had to ask the public for trillions of dollars in funding, citing the 2003 invasion of Iraq as an example.
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