Rambling Notes On Defense Budgets For US And Russia -- A Meaningless Inquiry -- But Procrastinating Before Going Biking -- December 14, 2022

I am quite aware that to compare the US economy with the Russian economy is beyond crazy. 

Quick: find Russia in the chart below.

Hint: it's less than Italy's. It's about the same as Netherlands and Norway combined.  

But it's still interesting to compare the economies and some line items.

Russia will budget 30% of its entire national budget fight the war in Ukraine. Thirty percent.

Quick: US DOD budget -- the entire DOD budget as percent of the US budget?

National deficits this year as a percent of GDP?

• US: around 5%.
• Russia: targeting 2%.

During the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union US defense spending fluctuated at around 10 percent of GDP. At the height of the Vietnam War in 1968 defense spending was 10 percent of GDP. Link here.

Note: "defense spending" and DOD budget are two separate line items.  

This may (or may not) be a better look at US defense spending.

US federal deficit as percent of GDP: around 5% and dropping.

President Reagan understood all this.