Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall August 30, 2006 10:01 AM: "Iran has a defense budget of about $6 billion a year. The United States spends over 50 times more than that. But perhaps comparisons to the USA are misleading. Let's compare our would-be regional hegemon to its neighbors. Well, Israel spends $9.6 billion and Saudi Arabia spends $25.2 billion. Pakistan, immediately adjacent to Iran and nuclear armed, actually has engaged in a recent defense buildup. What kind of quest for hegemony is Iran supposed to be on?"