Be a SourceWatcher! Sign up to receive the Weekly Spin - CMD's free weekly e-newsletter.

U.S. Department of Defense

From SourceWatch

(Redirected from Defense Department)
Jump to: navigation, search

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is headquartered in the Pentagon building in Washington, DC.

Contents

Overview

The U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps were established in 1775, concurring with the American Revolution. The U.S. Department of the Navy and U.S. Coast Guard were later founded in 1798. In 1947, Congress established a civilian, Cabinet level Secretary of Defense to oversee a newly created national military establishment, at which time the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Department of the Air Force were created. The War Department was then converted to the U.S. Department of the Army. The three branches (Army, Navy and Air Force) were placed under the direct control of the new Secretary of Defense. In 1949, an amendment withdrew the cabinet-level status for the three Service secretaries and further consolidated the national defense structure of what is now known as the DoD. In 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. [1]

DoD animal testing programs

DoD animal testing programs subject animals to irradiation, burnings, bombings, wounds and decompression sickness. [1] Every year, at least 320,000 primates, dogs, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, cats, and other animals are hurt and killed by the DoD. These experiments are considered to be the most painful and invasive conducted in the country. Also, since these figures do not take into account contractual research done at non-government facilities, the number of animals used is actually much higher. Armed forces facilities all over the U.S. test all manner of weaponry on animals; from Soviet AK-47 rifles to biological and chemical warfare agents to nuclear blasts. These experiments can be acutely painful, repetitive, costly and unreliable. Particularly so, because their effects can be or have been observed on humans and/or because results cannot be extrapolated to humans. The estimated cost for U.S. Military experiments on animals is over 100 million annually. [1] See also U.S. Government's War on Animals, section 5.

Congressional hearings on DoD experiments

During a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 7, 1992, former military researchers, physicians, scientists and animal activists testified against waste, negligence and abuse. According to Rep. Ron Dellums:

"The committee has heard testimony that raises disturbing questions about the necessity, ethical propriety, oversight and quality of the military's experiments on animals".

The Committee implemented greater oversight, including annual reporting and an investigation by the General Accounting Office (GAO) to reduce animals and eliminate duplication. Since these measures, DoD animal testing has declined by 42% and the GAO has also investigated research programs. [1]

Military spending & funding

The U.S. is without question the most formidable military power in recent years. Its spending levels are the principle determinant of world military spending. Generally, US military spending has been on the rise for the last decade. Recent increases are attributed to the "War on Terror" as well as the the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions, but it was also rising prior to these events. According to Christopher Hellman, an expert on military budget analysis, military spending had been on the rise since 1998, if not earlier. [1], [1]

Over the last decade, U.S. defense spending has risen dramatically. With the inclusion of funding for Iraq, Afghanistan, and nuclear weapons activities, national defense budgets increased by 78%. In inflation-adjusted dollars, the budget increased from $387 billion in FY 2000 to $687 billion in FY 2009. The DoD's base budget, which excludes both war and nuclear weapons funding, has also grown steadily over the past decade. The budget increased from $370 billion in 2000 to $513 billion in 2009; a 39% increase or an average of 16 billion a year. Funding requests for Iraq and Afghanistan may have reached their peak in 2008. the projected total war war supplemental of $144 billion is 50 billion less than the 2008 total of 194 billion dollars. The Iraq and Afghanistan policies of the Obama Administration, which include removing troops from Iraq and adding troops to Afghanistan; should not restore these budgets to their 2008 peak amounts. [1]

Research & development programs

Congress agreed on $82.4 billion for DoD research and development programs for the fiscal year ending in 2009. This amount was an enormous increase of three billion or 3.8 percent; an all time high for DoD spending. The DoD's support of basic research would gain 12.9% or $210 million for an 1.8 billion dollar budget for 2009. [1]

USA global ranking of military spending

The USA is responsible for 41.5% of the world's military spending. It is distantly followed by the China, which accounts for 5.8%. France and the United Kingdom account for 4.5% and Russia accounts for 4 %. [1]

Defense Agencies (and Related Links)

[1]

Military Commands

Personnel

Contact

Web address: http://www.defenselink.mil/

Articles & sources

SourceWatch articles

References

    External articles

    Retrieved from "http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Department_of_Defense"
    Personal tools

    This encyclopedia is written by people like you, so jump in.

    Be a SourceWatcher!

    Enter your e-mail address to get the Center for Media and Democracy's free weekly e-newsletter.