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hospes | 7 years ago

They are already developed. Money is already spent.

discuss

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blhack|7 years ago

Couldn't the same argument have been made for the first person to develop gun powder? Boats? Domesticated horses? Tipped spears, etc.?

pfranz|7 years ago

Weapons can be an endless pit of development and the US is not a conquering nation. Let's say we could sustain an economy and develop the first nuclear weapons while everyone else is using spears; what was the opportunity cost? What's the value if it's only used for defense?

Outside of defense I know a large military and weapons help in having influence, but so does having a stable and large economy--the later moreso.

Nuclear weapons were developed out of a competition for survival. The people involved knew even in the hands of the Allied forces it was extremely dangerous. You're arguing we should invest in a Space Force because someone else might do it in the future.