October 8 is the date of two very insignificant holidays: Peru's Navy Day and India's Air Force Day. The question immediately begged is this: why does Peru need a navy? Why does India need an air force?
Costa Rica has no military, and has instead invested that money in education and social works. Costa Rica is arguably the most successful nation in Latin America today, and has faced absolutely no significant military threat.
The existence of the military in non-hegemonic countries is an excellent example of the harms of game theoretic policy analyses. The only reason why Peru has a navy is because it worries about its neighbor's navies. The only reason India has an air force is because it worries about its neighbors, especially Pakistan and China. If these sorts of arms races could be eliminated, that money could be reinvested in health, education, and other forms of development.
The existence of militaries in hegemonic countries is somewhat different, in that these nations (US, China, some of NATO) tend to focus not solely on game theoretic analyses but also on 'leadership' and 'intervention' across the globe.
Thus, this aspect of October 8 makes it a dark day indeed. International cooperation will carry dramatic domestic benefits, but Peru needs no navy and India needs no air force. And first, we must stop the glorification of such harmful institutions.
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