Is the UK near an end as we know it? The writing may be on the wall

[SUBMAN1]

I was reading this article about the V-22 from a UK news source (http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1276296,00.html), and I come across these two paragraphs that really trouble me:

Ironically, it landed among 11 American Harriers - the only major weapon the Pentagon ever bought from Britain. In the 1970s when the jump jet was spawned, Britain could afford to develop its own aircraft.


Nowadays America's defence budget, outstripping all others combined, is the only one which can fund such radical new equipment.

Can I ask a question? (I guess I am going to anyway) What is happening to our world where only one country is able to develop weapons on its own like this? This tells me that we have pretty big problems as a whole I would think. What has happened to the world's defense budget? Has it dried up resting on one country to defend the rest? This is plain wrong. Where is this money going? The UK is the only European country that can possibly defend itself adequately anymore, but this is even nearing an end when I see writing like this.

Am I guessing right when I start thinking that too much money is going to support an over-bloated population with welfare type programs that such a country can no longer sustain an active military to simply defend and project power anymore? What has happened in the last 30 years to come to this? It is actually deeply troubling.

We are on a guns or butter type experiment, and if this world goes to pot, I can guarantee that America will not be able to deal with everyone who is resting on her support for defense. It is an impossiblility. When you guys go to vote, I hope you keep these thoughts in mind. The world may seem passive right now, but it is far from.

-S