Early 'Christmas Present' for Arms Makers: What’s Inside US’ $886 Bln Defense Bill?

After months of back-and-forth wrangling, Congress has finally passed its National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, with the 3,100-page document containing an unprecedented $886 billion in spending, and now heading to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. Here’s what’s inside the bill.

Senate lawmakers on Thursday approved a historically unprecedented military budget, with the White House getting its way on increasing defense spending to levels unparalleled in peacetime in spite of the US’ growing Jenga tower of national debt.

The defense bill’s key funding arrangements include $14.7 billion in cash for the Pentagon’s so-called "Pacific Deterrence Initiative," which aims to continue ringing China with US military bases and offensive weapons platforms, and includes ramping up of training and cybersecurity support for Taiwan – the rogue Chinese province and technological powerhouse that’s at the heart of China-US tensions.

The legislation also features provisions for the implementation of the AUKUS security pact, including the transfer of three US Virginia-class submarines to Australia – another development that has escalated regional tensions and ruffled Beijing’s feathers.

The bill includes $300 million in annual "security assistance" to Ukraine through the end of 2026 – this time under the close eye of a specially appointed inspector general to make sure the money is going where it’s supposed to (previously, Pentagon officials admitted that they usually have no idea where the tens of billions of dollars’ worth of NATO arms go after crossing the border into Ukraine). The Ukraine funding is not to be confused with a separate, $61.4 billion request by the Biden administration for additional resources to continue funding the proxy war against Russia. That measure continues to be under debate as Congress’ holiday recess nears.

The bill lays out $11.5 billion for “defense-related activities,” $1 billion to finish construction of a new San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock for the Marine Corps, resources for the Navy’s Sea-Launched Cruise Missile Nuclear (SLCM-N) program, and $100 million in cash for new Air Force programs, including tinkering with experiments such as an unmanned F-16 fighter program.

The legislation prohibits the retirement of the Air Force’s F-22 Raptors, but does allow for older F-15 fighters and A-10 Warthog bombers to be scrapped.

Crucially, the legislation also extends a program launched last year specifically to send US arms to Ukraine allowing for the multiyear procurement of various munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, Precision Strike Missiles and Small Diameter Bombs, and expands it to cover deliveries to Israel and Taiwan as well. This point offers ominous clues concerning Washington’s plans for interventions in various global hotspots, and may signal calculations by defense planners of the Palestinian-Israel crisis stretching deep into the future, and tensions over Taiwan going hot.

War Making Ok, Peacemaking No Go

The 2024 NDAA extends a controversial measure which prohibits the president of the United States from withdrawing American forces from NATO countries without approval from Congress. The provision is unabashedly aimed at preparing for a scenario in which a non-interventionist president decides to draw down US forces from countries and conflicts around the world, tying his or her hands with potentially unconstitutional restrictions.

Another controversial provision extended by the defense bill is a measure allowing US intelligence services to continue the warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals – including via the collection of their communication records, through the use of US-based communications services.

For the troops, the bill includes a 5.2 percent pay raise sweetener. However, there’s some bad news for the woke brigades, with provisions for financial support for abortion and sexual reassignment surgeries scrapped, and "diversity, equity and inclusion"-related job offerings frozen after wrangling by House Republicans. In addition, some 8,000 servicemen and women let go for refusing to take the COVID jab will be allowed to return to service.

What Does US Military Get for Its Buck?

The United States has had by far the largest military budgets in the world going back to the Second World War, typically spending more on defense than all of its major potential adversaries combined. However, spending has not always matched up with capabilities. According to a recent report by US News, Russia, whose military budget reached 9.7 trillion rubles (about $108 billion at the current exchange rate) ranked number one in military power in 2023, with the US ranking number two.