Stray Dog: Dane Dwyer - My bomb is bigger than yours

Which army barks the loudest?

The recent global happenings have included a spate of military escapades and displays that have caused the dog to wonder who will be the next world military power. Based on current form the dog has selected three major world powers that have been strutting their military might with little remorse and consideration for world protocol. Russia, North Korea and the United States of America are considered by many to be of herculean power in relation to military dominance; many pundits are anticipating a reshuffled pack after the smoke of the current global financial crisis has cleared causing many to wonder who will be the phoenix emerging from the ashes to take number one. The dog smells trouble…could we see a resuscitation of communism?

Russia has proven to the world that they posses superior military clout and intelligence, and the recent invasion of Georgia was a sufficient reminder. The Georgian government solicited the assistance from US troops on August 8th after Russian tanks rolled across the border to aid separatist in breakaway South Ossetia. In retrospect, the end of the Cold War saw the consolidated military expenditure of Russia and other progeny states of the USSR decreased significantly, but military figures are expected to reach an all time high in 2009. Russia’s military budget is expected to rise to 1.3 trillion rubles (US $ 53bn) in 2009, a quantum leap of some 23% (The Economist). Defense spending will be mainly comprised of arms purchases and salary increases. Advanced weaponry such as T-90 battle tanks and Iskander missiles will cause any dog to give up his bone. Along with bone-crushing armory and improvements to its S-400 air combat system the military troops will have extra cash to spend in the recession with their wage increase. There is no doubt in this mongrel’s mind that Russia has solidified itself as an active global military powerhouse capable of promulgating its national interests with nonchalant ease truncating all who stand in opposition. Russian military aggrandizement has definitely caused the hair on the dog’s back to stand!

The next contestant on ‘Military Might’ is, (can the dog get a drum roll please?) is none other than the indefatigable United States of America…talk about belief coercion. The last decade has seen the United States of America cement its status as the Ayatollah of military duress. Undoubtedly, this bad boy is no toy soldier and if it were, it would be…hmmm… probably a G.I. Joe action figure. The US army has been the busiest of the three contestants with the Invasion of Afghanistan predicated on the 9/11 catastrophe that alleges the involvement of the Taliban militia. This was followed by the advancement of US military troops in Iraq under the disguise of “Weapons of Mass Destruction”. The financial meltdown of 2008/09 has seen a reconsideration of military priorities as resources are drawing thin. President Barak Obama has called for an exit of Iraq and a more complete focus on Afghanistan. This has also been followed by military budget realignments as Defense Secretary Robert Gates looks to cut military earmarks and profligate spending. The US Government is being egged on by congress to spend at least $607bn on defense in the 2009 fiscal year. The budget includes $500 million more than fiscal 2009 for recruiting and training helicopter maintenance crews, a major need for current missions overseas. Another $400 million will go towards new medical research and $300 million more to supplement existing traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder programs. The military’s special operations forces ranks will be increased by nearly 3,000 next year and the Pentagon will triple the number of students in its cyber security programs. Gates also announced plans to hire up 30,000 new government employees to replace contractor slots over the next five years, 13,000 in 2010 alone. The United States accounts for 48% of global defense spending and according to The Economist, the baseline budget for 2009 will be some $515.4bn-an increase of nearly 74% since President Bush took office- as well as $21bn for Energy Department’s nuclear-weapons programmes and at least $70bn for Iraq and Afghanistan. With all this spending the dog reckons that America is bent on maintaining its status as ultimate defenders of the earth and guardians of democracy.

The last contestant has show that it is not the size of your military budget but the willingness to show the world that you are willing. The Korean People’s Army is the military of North Korea with Supreme Commander Kim Jong-Il at the helm. The army is reviled by many western democracies for its insubordinate pursuits of military might. North Korea is one of the few countries in the world to possess nuclear weaponry and being one of the few truly dictatorships to remain, it has caused widespread trepidation throughout states that forcefully promote democracy. North Korea, paying no attention to sanction threats from the US, launched its three stage rocket on April 5th causing many to stand and take notice. The experimental communications satellite sent into orbit has been hailed a tremendous success and has been met with public glee as the nation gathered together to celebrate its accomplishment. The missile launch has been considered by Japan, South Korea and the United States to be an outright show of disrespect, while the Chinese has so far sided with North Korea’s protestation that this was a satellite launch, pure and simple. Oh and by the way this is not the first time North Korea has tested its military precision even though other countries asked it not to. North Korea definitely packs some muscle in the arsenal arena and has the backing of fellow dictatorships such as economic giants China and military lords Russia. The US knows that going against North Korea will on paper seem like a David Vs Goliath battle, but remains very cautious of that all important sling shot. The fact that North Korea is a dictatorship essential means that there is no free press thus leaving little details about its military finances and leading most to retreat to mere speculation about actual budgetary figures. The dog knows for sure North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world. It has an estimated active duty military force of up to 1.2 million personnel, military spending is estimated at as much as a quarter of GNP, with up to 20% of men ages 17-54 in the regular armed forces. North Korean forces have a substantial numerical advantage over the South (around 2 to 1) in several key categories of offensive weapons--tanks, long-range artillery, and armored personnel carriers. The North has one of the world's largest special operations forces, designed for insertion behind the lines in wartime. North Korea’s navy is primarily a coastal navy, with antiquated surface and submarine fleets. Its air force has twice the number of aircraft as the South, but, except for a few advanced fighters, the North's air force is obsolete (www.state.gov). The fact that North Korea has managed to manifest such unity amongst its populist has made it a country immune to western persuasions and maintains its own military ideologies- a very dangerous position it you ask the United States…lol.

The dog has presented the three contestants and now the voting lines are open. Which army barks the loudest?