A question for effective altruists in the US.
How much did you donate last year? Don't answer that. Just compare it to the amount of taxes you paid, and realize that 19% of those taxes went to defense spending. (Veteran benefits, interest on debt incurred by defense spending and other indirect costs are not included in that number.) When you congratulate yourself on your altruism, don't forget you're also funding the NSA, the drone attacks in various middle east countries, and thousands of tanks sitting idly on a base somewhere.
Are your donations outweighing this?
It's easy to be cynical about the military, but consider the simple fact that we live in one of the most peaceful ages ever. The Middle East conflicts of the last decade-plus involving the US have resulted in far fewer deaths than, say, the Vietnam War. You might say there should have been none of these conflicts to begin with, but things certainly could have been worse as well!
You know the drill - If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.