I know the solution to this: Increase the base budget to $1.5 trillion a year.

Government inefficiency, if you will

One of the things that contributed to the USSR’s stagnation and eventual collapse/betrayal was the fact that the Red Army effectively became an unchecked, expensive black hole without civilian oversight after Stalin’s death. And outside of staring down NATO and the PLA on the borders, the military was only caught up in just Afghanistan. Maybe this is just wishful thinking but…

“Ah well, nevertheless”