The United States spends more on defense than the next ten nations combined—yet America struggles to build ships, buy ammunition, or even maintain readiness. Where does the money go? Political scientists often point to the “military-industrial complex,” a term Eisenhower warned about in 1961. Today it looks alive and well: $1.7 trillion for the F-35 program, plagued by delays and cost overruns. Billions more on projects that never even make it past testing. Meanwhile, soldiers in the field still complain about outdated gear and shortages of basic supplies. Here lies the paradox: a democracy excels at oversight, hearings, and accountability—but in practice, this has produced endless bureaucracy. Every contract is negotiated, every program scrutinized, every dollar debated. By the time a weapon is ready, the battlefield has already changed. So the deeper question is this: are we truly defending the nation, or simply defending the profits of contractors? America cannot afford to answer that wrong. #Military #DefenseSpending #Politics #US