Defence spending
Sir: While we spend 5 per cent of our national income on defence, Germany and France spend 3 per cent, Belgium and Denmark 2 per cent (International Institute for Strategic Studies Military Balance). So they have plenty of money to invest in industry, on new equipment, to get higher production and efficiency. This pays for their bigger pensions, more motorways and all the other good things they have.
As we are not in more danger than they are, why are we spending more on defence? Isn't it time we started to compete on equal terms? We too can have an economic miracle. All we need to do is stop wasting money on defence and invest it in industry. The beauty of it is that it would not cost Us a penny more. The Germans had the good sense to do this and now they are number one in Europe. If they had North Sea oil they would use it to become one in the world. They would not waste it on fleets of atomic submarines or need it to pay stupid debts.
If the Germans were to spend 5 per cent of their national income on defence, they would have to find billions of pounds more. It would mean less money for investment, pensions, motorways. And if they had less of these, wouldn't the Germans be called lazy and inefficient?
The Russians are sending warships to the Indian Ocean. It is a wonder that they can find any space there because it is full of ships loaded with German and Japanese exports. They sail past the Russian warships and nothing happens to them, not a single one is sunk. How could it be, that would start a third world war. But if there were a war it would not be started by warships in the Indian Ocean but by people pushing buttons marked 'Extinction'. The German and Japanese taxpayers are not being bled white to pay for warships or naval bases in South Africa. Yet Germany and Japan are looked on as shining examples. It is our stupid politica ns who stop us having an economic miracle. All we need are some sensible politicians. How do we get them?
Royce Bradshaw
Acorn Institute, 213 Shirehall Road, Sheffield 5
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