The US spends a _lot_ of that on graft and corruption, as well. Even the article linked here mentioned playing politics with procurement, but also consider the

The US spends a _lot_ of that on graft and corruption, as well. Even the article linked here mentioned playing politics with procurement, but also consider the billions and billions paid for military hardware that doesn't work and the Pentagon has gone on record saying they don't even want. The US has grown comfortable thinking it's still ahead while they continue to prepare for a style of war that will not come. If history is any guide, the next big war will be fought with a technology that takes advantage of the weaknesses of the previous leader, despite spending advantages.