What is the cost of ruling the world? 

Or to put it more bluntly:

So the United States, a nation with just 4.5% of the world population commits over 42% of global military spending. A figure illustrating the absurdity of this was recently highlighted by Gizmodo. America spends more money fixing rusting and unserviceable military vehicles ($22 billion) than Canada spends on its entire military ($21.5 billion). Canada is a huge country, with significantly more land mass, and coast line than America. It also contributes to NATO. And yet America still spends more on fixing things like this:

And this:

But what is the real cost of ruling the world? I would say it is neglecting the welfare of Americans at home. The American government commits to massive military spending, and bailouts of the Wall Street juggernauts. But what about people who are now consigned to live in tents?  The Daily Mail reports:

In scenes reminiscent of the Great Depression these are the ramshackle homes of the desperate and destitute U.S. families who have set up their own ‘Tent City’ only an hour from Manhattan.More than 50 homeless people have joined the community within New Jersey’s forests as the economic crisis has wrecked their American dream.

And as politicians in Washington trade blows over their country’s £8.8 trillion debt, the prospect of more souls joining this rag tag group grows by the day.
Building their own tarpaulin tents, Native American teepees and makeshift balsa wood homes, every one of the Tent City residents has lost their job.

How much housing, healthcare, clothing and food could $22 billion buy?

I guess we won’t get to find out. Because to Washington D.C. and Wall Street, ruling the world is obviously more important than the lives of the poor.