Hacker News Reader

Rather than heads rolling what will happen is doubling or tripling of budget requests to safeguard the crown jewels, setting up new battalions of watchmen to watch the watchmen and so on.

History tells us as these budgets grow uncontrollably sooner or later the empire runs out of cash to pay the soldier.

View on HN

> History tells us as these budgets grow uncontrollably sooner or later the empire runs out of cash to pay the soldier.

In which nation has that happened? The U.S. certainly has had more serious problems in its defense institutions, and its level of defense spending is relatively low now, relative to post-WWII budgets, and especially relative to GDP.

It's a long list. Google Paul Kennedy.

Name one or two?

Except this one can print it's own cash.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com