May 2, 2012 11:26AM

‘Gutting’ Our Military

By Christopher A. Preble

According to Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK): President Obama's "trip to Afghanistan is an attempt to shore up his national security credentials, because he has spent the past three years gutting our military."

You decide: From National Defense (050) outlays, in billions of constant 2012 dollars:

2009 - $696
2010 - $715
2011 - $716
2012 (projected) - $716

The chart below shows the full context of Inhofe's remarks.

During the Reagan years (1981-1989), national defense outlays averaged $493 billion. George W. Bush averaged $543 billion. And the post-Cold War average, 1991-2012, is $522 billion per year.

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