Business and government have become one big entity, if they ever were separated. As a constant stimulus of the industrial-military complex, tens of thousands of U.S. troops have been in South Korea, Japan and Germany for 50 years. Alternet counts 737 U.S military bases with 2,500,000 personnel serving across the planet. The so called "American democracy" has spawned a global empire. Empires of old used to establish colonies. Instead, the U.S. has constituted military bases across the globe.

The Heritage Foundation reports  there were a total 118.8 million billets (a serviceman for one year) during 1950–2000; 27.3 million overseas. Troop deployment involves housing, food, healthcare, transportation, dependent care and so one--the industrial aspect of the military. When everything is taken into consideration--no just the official military budget-- total U.S. military expenditure is in the realm of $1 trillion a year. Just military spending, not counting industrial part. Pensions and retirement are not considered either.