United States militarism

United States militarism refers to the reliance of the United States on its military force to pursue foreign policy goals that can be achieved more effectively by other means.^[1] Militarism has been defined as the tendency to regard military efficiency as the supreme ideal of the state, overshadowing all other interests. In a militarist society, military institutions and ways are ranked above the ways of civilian life, and military mentality is carried over into the civilian sphere."^[2] Since the end of the Cold War, the US military has continued to grow even without any existential threat to the US, as it currently spends more than 40% of all military expenditures worldwide and has military forces stationed in more than 150 countries.^[3] The ongoing War on Terror and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan have all contributed significantly to the current prominent role of the US Department of Defense in American politics. Administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama have also ensured that military leaders dominate positions related to national security, to the detriment of diplomatic solutions with Iran, North Korea, or the Middle East.^[1] The recent administrations, as early as President Bill Clinton, have thus placed the Department of Defense in a position of unprecedented power and influence.