I appreciate the Marmora spouter's concern about our national debt and overseas spending, but there is a certain hard reality to face. Even if the money is wasted, or gets stolen by corrupt government officials in overseas projects, we are still buying allies, even if they are only temporary allies. Post WWII, we had a sad record of failing to fund civil and military needs of certain foreign countries, who turned instead toward the Soviet Union for "friendship." We are not gaining friends, nor were the Reds. In this world, we must pay up to increase security. Yes, it is nasty business.