Chris Christie Dissects the ‘Fundamentally Unserious’ 2024 Field (and more)

Real Clear Politics

Chris Christie brings up a very interesting point in his recent speech at the Hudson Institute, this Wednesday. The whole thing is worth a listen, but I particularly want to focus on one thing he said. It is 48 minutes long in total, and the part I am referring to starts around minute 9.

The United States has provided aid worth “less than 4%” of the Pentagon’s annual budget, and the Russian military capability has been “degraded 50%.” Christie said that this seemed “a pretty good return on investment for us, and one that we should double down on.”

I looked this up, it was interesting, and he is almost correct. He must have used information a bit older.

In total, we have spent around 5.6% of our annual Pentagon budget in 2022 in aiding Ukraine, military and humanitarian aid combined. Our annual budget was around $730b last year. This year it is around $800b and we are spending relatively the same. With that money, and the aid from other allies, Ukraine has effectively HALVED Russian military capability. With the immense loss of life, many times more injuries, terrible losses in both the Airforce and the Navy, countless tanks and armored vehicles, Russia is now half the military it was before they invaded Ukraine less than two years ago.

I have to agree with Christie, this is a really good investment for us, considering the incredible return. This aggressive military will now take many decades to grow back to be in a position to start another large conflict, or invade another neighbor. Or make any serious threats.

Here is an article from the end of 2022 that goes into what Christie is saying: Link

The Ukrainian armed forces have already killed or wounded upwards of 100,000 Russian troops, half its original fighting force; there have been almost 8,000 confirmed losses of armored vehicles including thousands of tanks, thousands of APCs, artillery pieces, hundreds of fixed and rotary wing aircraft, and numerous naval vessels. US spending of 5.6% of its defense budget to destroy nearly half of Russia’s conventional military capability seems like an absolutely incredible investment. If we divide out the US defense budget to the threats it faces, Russia would perhaps be of the order of $100bn-150bn in spend-to-threat. So spending just $40bn a year, erodes a threat value of $100-150bn, a two-to-three time return.  Actually the return is likely to be multiples of this given that defense spending, and threat are annual recurring events.

The US military might reasonably wish Russia to continue deploying military forces for Ukraine to destroy.

And that is an interesting point, that last line. This is a year old information; the losses are far greater now. Just weeks ago, Russia had its worst day since the beginning of the war, when 1,300 Russian casualties were reported in a single day. By prolonging this war, dragging it on, Russia is actually doing itself another great disservice, in a long line of mistakes. The longer this drags on, the more their military is diminished, for nothing more than a failed occupation.

If we keep providing assistance at this minimal level of our total budget, in a year’s time, Russia could effectively diminish its capabilities down to 20-30%, perhaps less. It is fast becoming a husk of a great military that the Soviet Union once was, and hopefully much less of an issue for our allies and Russia's neighbors — and ultimately, for us.

But the aid is not coming just from us. As the article explains, the Western allied countries have a combined GDP of over $40 trillion yearly, with military and defense spending set at no lower than 2% of the GDP. That’s in excess of $1 trillion a year the West spends on upgrading our defenses. At a minimum... some spend more.

Russia has a GDP of $1.8t. Even if they could afford to cut all social programs, and devote upwards of 10% of their GDP to military, it’s still peanuts comparably, and their war is unsustainable. The longer it runs, the more they lose.

How can Russia possibly hope to win an arms race when the combined GDP of the West is $40 trillion, and its defense spending amounting to 2% of GDP totals well in excess of $1 trillion when the disproportionate US defense contribution is considered? Russia’s total GDP is only $1.8 trillion. Vladimir Putin will have to divert spending from consumption to defense, risking social and political unrest over the medium term, and a real and soon-to-be present danger to his regime. Just imagine how much more of a bargain Western military aid will be if it ultimately brings positive regime change in Russia.

A bargain. Wars are very expensive. Fighting an actual war with an expansionist regime like Putin’s would not only cost tens of thousands of lives of our own brothers and sisters, but it would also cost hundreds of billions, or even trillions of dollars. Helping Ukraine drain and diminish their military makes us safer as a nation, at a fraction of the cost if things were allowed to metastasize. At the same time, we help an ally in need achieve freedom and defend their homes. Get back to some semblance of a normal life.

One More Link

Thank you for reading. I'm restless, can't sleep and wanted to put this all together before bed.

Everyone is focused on Russia. Russia this, Russia that, Russia Russia Russia !!!


Keeping an eye on the Bear is fine, but you damn well better focus on that Dragon overhead.

Who the **** listens to 48 mins of Christie the dough boy war mongering globalist....THEN actually agrees with his mega slaughter at a discount price as a GREAT foreign policy?
Yet you same people think Trump is insane and will get us into ww3, even after 4 years of peace.

None of it makes any sense yet here we are.

originally posted by: stosh64
Who the **** listens to 48 mins of Christie the dough boy war mongering globalist....THEN actually agrees with his mega slaughter at a discount price is a GREAT foreign policy?
Yet you same people think Trump is insane and will get us into ww3, even after 4 years of peace.

None of it makes any sense yet here we are.

Imbeciles listen to him.

a reply to: Mahogani

Wars are very expensive. Fighting an actual war with an expansionist regime like Putin’s would not only cost tens of thousands of lives of our own brothers and sisters, but it would also cost hundreds of billions, or even trillions of dollars. Helping Ukraine drain and diminish their military makes us safer as a nation,

Why would America need to fight an actual war with Russia? What threat do they pose? As for the cost American is already in debt up to it’s eyeballs and the pentagon can’t account for a few trillion as it is. War is a racket.

a reply to: Mahogani

Thanks for your analysis and I also never thought Christe had the brains to go to where he went. Hes correct.

Many in USA hate EV vehicles. They want oil. I like oil as I own over 10,000 shares of oil refiners. I am staged to go into EV.

They are pushing EV possibly and no necessary for CO2 reduction as the back story is to neuter Iran, China, Russia and others via the oil card. Np longer need oil no longer a player in the big sand box.

EV is vital to the National Security of the USA.

a reply to: DAVID64

At this stage of the game, China may be global power financially, they're still only a regional power militarily. By neutering one of their regional allies it makes it harder for them to go to war.

You can be sure that China are evaluating a possible invasion of Taiwan differently now that they know Russia won't really have their back when the hammer gets dropped on them in repercussion.

A bargain without a doubt. Since that war started, I've heard/read several times that the US spends around $200-billion of it's annual military budget to counter russia. If we can help grind them to dust for a fraction of that, imagine the longterm saving in tax dollars when the Pentagon can no longer justify that $200-billion annually. Of course, they'll probably shift that money to countering china, but that's still better than them asking for $200-billion for rissia and another 200 for china.

a reply to: Threadbarer

a reply to: WiiDemBoyz

It’s pretty disgusting to see the bloodthirsty Libs foaming at the mouth to destroy Russia.

originally posted by: WiiDemBoyz
A bargain without a doubt. Since that war started, I've heard/read several times that the US spends around $200-billion of it's annual military budget to counter russia. If we can help grind them to dust for a fraction of that, imagine the longterm saving in tax dollars when the Pentagon can no longer justify that $200-billion annually. Of course, they'll probably shift that money to countering china, but that's still better than them asking for $200-billion for rissia and another 200 for china.

You people are sick,you revel in war and death as long as you can watch from afar.
Why do you think America should be 'grinding' anyone to dust?
Better watch the time,you've got a from the river to the sea demo to get to.
God level irony with the so called liberals.(Also known as closet facists)

a reply to: DAVID64

actually i think you should have said keep a eye on the new axis of evil. old farty, pooh xi, and iatola assahola.
you could even have said the four POS keteers, . old farty, pooh xi, little kim and iatola assahola.

i have no doubt if shtf those will be the main ones on the other side. i also believe that many of the little radical governments of the middle east will be on that side.

not that many governments are much better, but at least 98.5% are better than those.

originally posted by: DAVID64
Everyone is focused on Russia. Russia this, Russia that, Russia Russia Russia !!!


Keeping an eye on the Bear is fine, but you damn well better focus on that Dragon overhead.

All heads of the same dragon. Some are laying low.

Russia, China, Iran, North Korea. The four big heads. If you help someone else cut one off, there's only 3 left to worry about.

And NK is really pretty much China, so it really is a three headed dragon.

originally posted by: DAVID64
Everyone is focused on Russia. Russia this, Russia that, Russia Russia Russia !!!

And to explain this better from my point of view: I'll admit, I am being selfish when I write about Russia.

I am an American, I have a large family... lots of kids and nieces and nephews; little kids, teens, tweens and young adults... and others. I love them all, I love listening to them and love hearing of their plans for college and business, and a good life. Maybe some of them will take over the family businesses.

I don't want any of that ruined. I don't want those dreams to fall apart, and for them to get drafted to go fight an insane dictator half way across the world.

If we can provide 5 to 6 percent of our annual budget to help Ukraine hobble Russia to the point where a larger war is no longer a potential, then all of my family will enjoy peaceful and happy lives and won't have to go fight a war. For a fraction of our yearly defense budget.

I am not even saying this out of patriotism, I really don't care about Russia one way or the other, I am saying this out of self-preservation.

None of us need to go fight a crazy half-man half way across the globe. This can be resolved with just financial support.

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: stosh64
Who the **** listens to 48 mins of Christie the dough boy war mongering globalist....THEN actually agrees with his mega slaughter at a discount price is a GREAT foreign policy?
Yet you same people think Trump is insane and will get us into ww3, even after 4 years of peace.

None of it makes any sense yet here we are.

Imbeciles listen to him.

It is ok to listen to someone even if you don't agree with them. The purpose is education, information and knowledge.

Imbeciles, as you say, don't have any concept of this and will see no value in knowledge.

When the lives of those fighting are worthless, these kinds of numbers for more hate add up. Ukraine had a population around 25-30 million before this started. Now down to to 10-15 Million. +100K's lives on all sides. How much millions would that be worth if these people still had lives, jobs, families.

The United States has provided aid worth “less than 4%” of the Pentagon’s annual budget, and the Russian military capability has been “degraded 50%.

This guy is tripping, handle the cool aid with care.

a reply to: Mahogani

Russia's military must not have been that formidable to begin with.

Their notoriety has been the ability to roast humankind.

If we can degrade that ability by 50%, it would be a great achievement.

The antiquated Ukraine military with only 4% of our Military budget as aid decimated 50% of Russia's military capability?

Sounds like Russian military capability has been overstated for decades if that is true.

So where these war halks feeding us propaganda then ... or is it now?

originally posted by: stosh64
Who the **** listens to 48 mins of Christie the dough boy war mongering globalist....THEN actually agrees with his mega slaughter at a discount price as a GREAT foreign policy?
Yet you same people think Trump is insane and will get us into ww3, even after 4 years of peace.

None of it makes any sense yet here we are.

Chris Christie recommended to President Trump Christopher Wray as FBI director.

Wray immediately proceeded to damage Donald Trump anyway possible by going after his family and colleagues.

Then he followed that up with protecting the biden crime family, which continues to this very day.

Christy needs to be hauled before Congress to explain why he suggested putting a traitor in the role of FBI director.

Cool so you're voting for Christie??

a reply to: Mahogani

a reply to: Dandandat3

Russia's military capabilities have been gutted by the oligarchs that took over after the fall of the Soviet Union siphoning as much money as they can from the government. Even Putin is rumored to be the richest man in the world, and that money certainly didn't cone from his Presidential salary.

At one time Russia was a military superpower. We've known their military has gone downhill since then we just didn't know how much until the war in Ukraine.

That said, they still have the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. However, with what we're learning about the Russian military, there are questions about whether or not their warheads have been maintained.