Cruise Missiles Quote by Greg Mortenson
““I’m no military expert, and these figures might not be exactly right. But as best as I can tell, we’ve launched 114 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Afghanistan so far. Now take the cost of one of those missiles tipped with a Raytheon guidance system, which I think is about $840,000. For that much money, you could build dozens of schools that could provide tens of thousands of students with a balanced nonextremist education over the course of a generation. Which do you think will make us more secure?” (295)””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public Talk on Military Spending, 2015
Investing in education yields far greater long‑term security than expensive weaponry.
In simple terms: Spend on schools, not missiles.
Key Takeaway
Redirect funds to education for lasting security.
Themes
education
security
budget allocation
Mood
urgent
thoughtful
Type
political
advocacy
When to use this quote
- government budgeting
- NGO programs
- community development
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
human capital
peacebuilding
long‑term stability
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance defense and education spending?
- What are effective ways to reallocate defense budgets?
A Different Perspective
Military needs may argue immediate defense priorities.
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