“Winning” Wars

“We have to start winning wars again.”  So said Donald Trump in explaining to US governors why the US must spend an additional $56 billion on the military.  This man actually thinks that spending more money will “win” in the Middle East, “win” against China in the South China Sea, and “win” in the emerging Cold War with Russia over nuclear weapon superiority.  Worse still, in the process of “winning” by adding to the world’s largest military budget by far, he will break the bank.  Real national security—social well-being, solid educational and training programs, a protected environment and ecosystem—will be undermined in the process of winning.  As President Eisenhower once said, excessive military spending is “a theft” from the American people.  But of course, Donald Trump does not read.