Although critics of the Biden administration's Build Back Better plan to increase funding for U.S. education, healthcare, and action against climate catastrophe say the United States can't afford it, there are no such qualms about ramping up funding for the U.S. military.  Indeed, despite the fact that the U.S. government is already, by far, the world's biggest military spender, another substantial rise in U.S. military expenditures is set to occur.  The reason has less to do with national security than with inflamed nationalism and, especially, the enormous influence of self-interested military contractors.