Defense and international security: In 2008, some 21 percent of the budget, or $625 billion, went to pay for defense and security-related international activities. <a href="http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:2SfiWR3M_E4J:centeronbudget.org/cms/index.cfm%3Ffa%3Dview%26id%3D1258+defense+as+percentage+of+national+budget&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:2SfiWR3M_E4J:centeronbudget.org/cms/index.cfm%3Ffa%3Dview%26id%3D1258+defense+as+percentage+of+national+budget&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</a> .