US haunted by persistent paranoia

The United States boasts the world's strongest military. Its defense spending is more than the next 10 biggest nations combined. The US Navy even has the world's second-most powerful air force - behind the US Air Force.

It's ironic then, that every day you hear US claims that their country is being threatened by others. It's like Mike Tyson worrying about being punched in the face by teenagers on the street.

US President Barack Obama and the congressional Republicans he has been fighting with over budget cuts have both stressed the cuts are a grave threat to the US military, despite the fact that education and medical research will also be affected in a major way.