"No More Wars" Trump Requesting a Record Defense Budget: $1.5 TRILLION in FY2026

Stopped_lurking · May 25, 2026

mark46 said:
That is the question for the world and for the great powers. One answer is to allow proliferation because, as you say, all countries have a right to defense themselves, with nuclear weapons if necessary. Perhaps Brazil and Nigeria should develop nuclear weapons? That is NOT my answer. I reject proliferation and don't think that any international organization is anywhere near strong enough for this role.

I don't hope for that solution, but I think we are closer to it today due to how both USA and Russia are acting. The US have initiated war activities against three countries just this year (kidnapping of a political leader in Venezuela, blockade of Cuba and a kinetic war with Iran). Russia invaded Ukraina, and pressures it's neighbours. So if one lives in a small country influenced by great powers (does your use of the term indicate that you also think they should have spheres of influence, a la the 19th century?), what else is there to do?

mark46 said:
There NEED to be policemen of the world with regard to nuclear weapons. There are two policemen: the US and China. To the degree that the US doesn't want to reliably play this role, then a coalition led by the European powers need to step up as a third policeman.

South Korea, Brazil or Nigeria (I am not up to speed, was there a particular reason you started talking about them?) are not close to Europe.

mark46 said:
They are indeed doing so. They will provide minesweepers for the Gulf of Hormuz. The US resources are decades old. They also have stepped up against the Iranian cyber efforts throghuut the world.

iluvatar5150 · May 26, 2026

mark46 said:
The treaty will give Iran the same kind of money that Obama gave him

Just to remind folks: Trump, in his first administration "gave" Iran roughly 50% more money than Biden and Obama did combined.

Posts Misrepresent Unfreezing of $16 Billion in Iranian Funds - FactCheck.org

A recent deal involving a prisoner swap and the extension of a Trump-era waiver have freed $16 billion in previously frozen Iranian funds. Social media posts distort the sources of the money to falsely claim "Joe Biden gave 16 billion to Iran." The Iranian money has been unfrozen with...

www.factcheck.org

Aldebaran · May 26, 2026

Bradskii said:
Talking of money, do you think it would be a good idea as part of the bargaining to release any of the Iranian assets as has been reported?

If it would be used for rebuilding, then sure! But that would have to be overseen to make sure it was the case. When Biden released Iranian assets, terrorism funded by Iran skyrocketed.

iluvatar5150 · May 26, 2026

Aldebaran said:
If it would be used for rebuilding, then sure! But that would have to be overseen to make sure it was the case. When Biden released Iranian assets, terrorism funded by Iran skyrocketed.

I don't suppose you have a source for that, do you?

Why did Biden's $6 billion cause terrorism funding to spike, but Trump's $10 billion a few years earlier not?

Posts Misrepresent Unfreezing of $16 Billion in Iranian Funds - FactCheck.org

A recent deal involving a prisoner swap and the extension of a Trump-era waiver have freed $16 billion in previously frozen Iranian funds. Social media posts distort the sources of the money to falsely claim "Joe Biden gave 16 billion to Iran." The Iranian money has been unfrozen with...

www.factcheck.org

Aldebaran · May 26, 2026

iluvatar5150 said:
I don't suppose you have a source for that, do you?

Why did Biden's $6 billion cause terrorism funding to spike, but Trump's $10 billion a few years earlier not?

Posts Misrepresent Unfreezing of $16 Billion in Iranian Funds - FactCheck.org

A recent deal involving a prisoner swap and the extension of a Trump-era waiver have freed $16 billion in previously frozen Iranian funds. Social media posts distort the sources of the money to falsely claim "Joe Biden gave 16 billion to Iran." The Iranian money has been unfrozen with...

www.factcheck.org

I answered the question I was asked.

iluvatar5150 · May 26, 2026

Aldebaran said:
I answered the question I was asked.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was referring to this part:

When Biden released Iranian assets, terrorism funded by Iran skyrocketed.

Valletta · May 26, 2026

iluvatar5150 said:
Why did Biden's $6 billion cause terrorism funding to spike, but Trump's $10 billion a few years earlier not?

What 10 billion dollars are you talking about?

Bradskii · May 26, 2026

Aldebaran said:
If it would be used for rebuilding, then sure! But that would have to be overseen to make sure it was the case. When Biden released Iranian assets, terrorism funded by Iran skyrocketed.

Overseen?

So the Iranians need to spend (say) a billion dollars on rebuilding something. They put the money aside. Then you give them a billion for rebuilding so that's what they use it for. Which means that the original money they had put aside is now available for funding terrorism.

Not sure that you've thought this through.

mark46 · May 26, 2026

Yes, as has been the case for decades. The West wants to decide on how other governments should spend their money. And we think that we should continue to confiscate that money until they agree to use the money as we think appropriate. Yes, I am indeed saying that the US does not have right to decide how a country should allocate it monies within its country.

As a country, we can certainly choose not to trade with Iran and/or to try to convince our allies to do the same. Not allowing Iran to trade with anyone is a clear act of war as is a physical embargo.

However, we have the right to stop Iran from being a threat to other countries through attack through their proxies, through the development of short long-range missiles or from building nuclear weapons technology.
==================
Under Trump, the countries in the region have started to act much more cooperatively than before. Israel and the UAE are allies. The Arabs did little to stop Israel (and the US) from greatly diminishing the power of Iran and its proxies. They didn't even do much to oppose the horrible attacks in Gaza. After all, the Arabs wanted Iran and its terrorists stopped and they didn't want large numbers of Palestinian refugees.

Under Trump, the alliances in the Middle East have changed dramatically. They will change even more if the Arabs can figure out a security solution that give Palestinians more rights in a non-Israeli Gaza and Samaria.

DaisyDay · May 26, 2026

mark46 said:
Yes, as has been the case for decades. The West wants to decide on how other governments should spend their money. And we think that we should continue to confiscate that money until they agree to use the money as we think appropriate. Yes, I am indeed saying that the US does not have right to decide how a country should allocate it monies within its country.

This has been a problem for a long, long time.

iluvatar5150 · May 26, 2026

Valletta said:
What 10 billion dollars are you talking about?

The $10 billion in assets he unfroze. It’s described in the link I posted (twice).

Valletta · May 26, 2026

iluvatar5150 said:
The $10 billion in assets he unfroze. It’s described in the link I posted (twice).

A lot of us don't subscribe to the Washington Post. Do you have another source?

iluvatar5150 · May 26, 2026

Valletta said:
A lot of us don't subscribe to the Washington Post. Do you have another source?

What are you talking about? The link is to factcheck.org, which isn't paywalled.

Pommer · May 26, 2026

iluvatar5150 said:
What are you talking about? The link is to factcheck.org, which isn't paywalled.

[dead air]

Aldebaran · May 28, 2026

Bradskii said:
Overseen?

So the Iranians need to spend (say) a billion dollars on rebuilding something. They put the money aside. Then you give them a billion for rebuilding so that's what they use it for. Which means that the original money they had put aside is now available for funding terrorism.

Not sure that you've thought this through.

Ok, then we don't release their assets. Case closed.

Bradskii · May 28, 2026

Aldebaran said:
Ok, then we don't release their assets. Case closed.

Didn't take you long to realise the problem...

So if Trump releases any funds then you'd consider that to be a bad move. Let's see what happens.

Bradskii · May 28, 2026

Aldebaran said:
Ok, then we don't release their assets. Case closed.

Except...https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/28/donald-trump-shares-draft-iran-peace-agreement-with-israel-and-other-allies

'The draft Trump has shared is not vastly different to the one that has been circulating across the Middle East for days, under which the strait of Hormuz would be opened to commercial shipping, the US blockade of Iranian ports would be lifted and Iran would be given access to as much as $12bn (£9bn) in frozen assets.

Sounds like a lot of money to promote terrorism. So it was originally a good idea to release the assets. Then it became a bad idea. Now Trump is debating releasing them. So before he tells us what he's going to do, can you tell us if you personally think it's now a good deal or a bad one?

Or do you have to wait until you know what he's going to do before you can decide?

Aldebaran · May 29, 2026

Bradskii said:
Except...https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/28/donald-trump-shares-draft-iran-peace-agreement-with-israel-and-other-allies

'The draft Trump has shared is not vastly different to the one that has been circulating across the Middle East for days, under which the strait of Hormuz would be opened to commercial shipping, the US blockade of Iranian ports would be lifted and Iran would be given access to as much as $12bn (£9bn) in frozen assets.

Sounds like a lot of money to promote terrorism. So it was originally a good idea to release the assets. Then it became a bad idea. Now Trump is debating releasing them. So before he tells us what he's going to do, can you tell us if you personally think it's now a good deal or a bad one?

Or do you have to wait until you know what he's going to do before you can decide?

Are you attempting to make this personally about me? It sure sounds like it.

Bradskii · May 29, 2026

Aldebaran said:
Are you attempting to make this personally about me? It sure sounds like it.

Whether the Iranians get their money or not is obviously nothing to do with you.

Do you know what a forum is? It's a place where we discuss matters and ask each other about our opinions on them. So don't give me the usual and farcical 'You're making it all about me' nonsense just because you've been asked a question.

You're in this thread because you obviously want to discuss it. It's about what the war is costing you. So in reference to the finances of this clown show I'd be interested in your opinion as to whether you think it's a good idea to release assets to Iran as has been reported as a means to get out of this unholy mess.

I know that some people would avoid answering because they want to wait until Trump actually does something before they tell us that it's the right thing to do. You're not one of those because you've already decided it was right move. Oh, until it was the wrong one just one post later. Now we have reports that it's a distinct possibility. So...? What do you think Trump should do?

Aldebaran · May 29, 2026

Bradskii said:
Whether the Iranians get their money or not is obviously nothing to do with you.

Do you know what a forum is? It's a place where we discuss matters and ask each other about our opinions on them. So don't give me the usual and farcical 'You're making it all about me' nonsense just because you've been asked a question.

You're in this thread because you obviously want to discuss it. It's about what the war is costing you. So in reference to the finances of this clown show I'd be interested in your opinion as to whether you think it's a good idea to release assets to Iran as has been reported as a means to get out of this unholy mess.

I know that some people would avoid answering because they want to wait until Trump actually does something before they tell us that it's the right thing to do. You're not one of those because you've already decided it was right move. Oh, until it was the wrong one just one post later. Now we have reports that it's a distinct possibility. So...? What do you think Trump should do?

Read your own post again.

Bradskii said:
.....can you tell us if you personally think it's now a good deal or a bad one?

Or do you have to wait until you know what he's going to do before you can decide?

"No More Wars" Trump Requesting a Record Defense Budget: $1.5 TRILLION in FY2026

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