Disbandment of Armed Forces and Defense Spending?

[Woolygimp]

This has absolutely nothing to do with our current war, but more of a serious look at the pros, cons, plausibility of such an action.

The scenario is basically if the United States were to
disband most branches of it's Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, Marines. Also cut all funding to future defense projects such as new weapons, tanks, missiles, bombs, helicopters.

What is the primary purpose of our military?
To operate in defense of our country in a time of war.

Honestly though, do we have to worry about the threat of invasion? It's different today than 50 years ago, with nuclear arsenals in the hands of dozens of countries, and our main threat coming from small unilateral terrorist groups which usually fall into the realm of law enforcement.

If we ever went to war with a nuclear superpower the size of our armed forces would be the last thing we'd need to worry about. We have 13,000 nuclear warheads, and most countries have plenty of their own.
Two major countries go to war? GG for everyone.

Anyway here's an idea of just how much things cost.
Nimitz class aircraft carrier - $4,500,000,000.00.
Seawolf class nuclear submarine - cost $1,250,000,000.00.
Abrams tank - $2,000,000.
Laser-guided ordnance - $25,000.
R&D for canceled Commanche - $15,000,000,000.

Then you have to take into account recruitment costs, salaries, R&D for our weapons (several billion dollars for each project, cost to build and operate, cost for maintenance of bases and facilities.

Our defense spending isn't in the billions, but is in the trillions.

We could use that money to for other projects, like cutting dependence on oil. I don't necessarily agree with this, but it's a giant 'what if' to an idea that popped into my head.

I'm also thinking that the military does have some benefits. Curbing unemployment rates? Selling defense technologies to other countries? Boosting the economy by putting more money into the hands of defense contractors?

I know very little about this, that's why I'm asking here.