WHAT PRICE SECURITY?

The 8^th October throws up some disturbing expenditure.

Ridge

In response to the September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush announced, on the 8^th October 2001, the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security (OHS) to coordinate "homeland security" efforts. The office was headed by former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, who assumed the title of Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. Ridge began his duties as OHS director on 8^th October 2001.

The official announcement stated:

The mission of the Office will be to develop and coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to secure the United States from terrorist threats or attacks. The Office will coordinate the executive branch's efforts to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks within the United States

The Department of Homeland Security was established on November 25, 2002, by the Homeland Security Acy of 2002. It was intended to consolidate U.S. executive branch organizations related to "homeland security" into a single Cabinet agency. In fiscal year 2011, DHS was allocated a budget of $98.8 billion and spent, net, $66.4 billion.

In British Pound Sterling that amounts to £41.15 billion, which together with the CIA estimated expenditure of £27.27 billion and the FBI’s £5.02 billion, comes to £73.44 billion for so called security services. This is not taking into account what the United States Military spends on terrorist related security, which, since 9/11, allegedly amounts to some £619.7 billion or £56 billion per annum, bringing the total so far to £129.77 billion per annum on so called security. I believe the £56 billion is over and above the US Defence and protection budget of £533.9 billion per annum.  The total US budget is about £2251.25 billion, security is 5.7% of the budget, with over 23.7% of the budget being spent on Defence, nearly 30% of tax is being spent on so called homeland security. This compares with about 12% for the UK, so far as one can ascertain.  The United States spends 28% of its budget on Health and Education, whilst the UK spends 32% on Health and Education.

I’m sure many United States citizens would wish that their figures were reversed, just as I am sure there are many here in the UK who wish the UK numbers were reversed.  On the whole, I think the amount spent on Education and Health is better served in the UK, even although the UK budget is about a quarter that of the US.