The only defense money that should be spent is that used to defend the interests of the United States, it’s sovereign territories and it’s borders. Let the middle east destroy itself from the inside out without any more US ties to these countries at all.
There is no logic to continued presence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan or any other region of the world hostile to the US. Anyone who thinks these areas can be civilized to the point of opening a Wal-Mart and a Chik-fil-A is unfit to serve in any leadership role as a representative of US interests.
End the illogical insanity that began 11 years ago. Bring our troops home and use those human and monetary resources to protect the US. The US owes nothing to these regions of the world that will not benefit us under their most optimal cultural conditions.
What is stopping this? The military industrial complex looking for excursions and interventions anywhere in the world engaged in conflict. Conflicts that have no bearing on US interests.