What can we do with the money instead?

We could create a cross-trained National Corps who would be skilled in guerrilla-style defensive warfare, and also in providing peacetime support to help deal with climate crisis and building out infrastructure. These corps could be deployed domestically and to support our allies in times of their crises.

Or we could build domestic manufacturing to build the types of equipment we need to defend ourselves. With the integrated automotive industry in desperate peril, can we re-tool the facilities and retrain the people to make what we need?

Or we could shore up support with our European and other worldwide allies and buy equipment from them.