Politicians are vying to splurge defence funds on boats

IN SOME democracies, politicians must be cajoled into spending money on armour and missiles rather than schools and hospitals. Not in America. The $716bn defence bill for 2019 now passing through Congress provides for an even faster arms build-up, of ships and submarines in particular, than President Donald Trump’s administration proposed.

The House and Senate vied with each other to pile on procurements before compromising on a plan that accelerates the pace of submarine-building (raising from ten to 12 the number of attack submarines to be ordered by 2023) and adds a third aircraft-carrier to the two requested by the White House. Two extra combat ships of a smaller type were thrown in too.