Posted on 12/19/2022 6:14:46 AM PST by MtnClimber
Promises of war and big profits show us how efficient Washington can be.
During his farewell speech on Jan. 17, 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower delivered a dire warning about a grave threat to U.S. democracy.
The following is a key excerpt from that address:
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist.
The military-industrial complex is an unholy alliance among war profiteers that includes elected leaders, top bureaucrats, defense contractors, the armed forces, international organizations, the news media, etc.
Their goal is to compel governments to enter wars that facilitate the sales of arms and the deployment of contracted mercenaries. They profit in order of billions while innocent lives are lost and nations are destroyed.
This is a quid pro quo agreement.
The defense contractors donate handsomely to the campaigns of elected politicians and offer myriad other inducements. The recipient of inducements could also be influential individuals or organizations beyond D.C.
In return, these recipients campaign for wars, perhaps via op-eds in ‘reputed’ newspapers or during TV appearances or speeches. Finally, they vote to approve billions in ‘aid.’
The contracts are awarded and billions of taxpayer’s funds flow away from the D.C. Treasury into the accounts of favored arms dealers.
Last week, the Ukrainian Embassy in D.C. hosted a reception to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s armed services.
Jonathan Guyer, who covers foreign policy for Vox, revealed that the invitation to the event had logos of arms dealers such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Northrop Grumman.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Remember that when the left accuses conservatives of something, that is exactly what they are doing themselves.
In many ways, the military-industrial complex IS Washington.
Do Not do a search for ‘tentacle porn’
You have been warned
In the following passage of his farewell address, Eisenhower also warned of Big Science in collusion with Big Government.
I would maintain that Covid tyranny and the coming disaster of energy policy over politically correct “climate change” are great examples of what he warned us of there.
Eisenhower was incredibly prescient.
Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.
In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government [bold mine].
Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific technological elite.
Of course we need an effective and ready military force. But the waste that goes along with that is absolutely massive. You could cut the military budget by 25% and get the same capabilities easily if the consultants, lobbyists, and various hangers-on were cut out of the process.
I used to do consulting for the DoD. I quit doing it in disgust. Money was wasted by the billions, and no one was ever held accountable.
The MIC got us through the Cold War.
They should have quit while they were ahead.
“In return, these recipients campaign for wars, perhaps via op-eds in ‘reputed’ newspapers or during TV appearances or speeches. Finally, they vote to approve billions in ‘aid.’
The contracts are awarded and billions of taxpayer’s funds flow away from the D.C. Treasury into the accounts of favored arms dealers.
Last week, the Ukrainian Embassy in D.C. hosted a reception to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s armed services.
Jonathan Guyer, who covers foreign policy for Vox, revealed that the invitation to the event had logos of arms dealers such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Northrop Grumman.”
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Don’t forget Bergoglio is all-in on WWIII also.
True. We probably shouldn't tell them how obvious they are - then again leftists have almost no self awareness.
Read the text of Eisenhower's address. His caution was not against having a MIC - he openly acknowledged that the state of the world at that time required it. His admonition was that the MIC should be watched closely and not gain undue influence (warnings that have been ignored if not crushed.).
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A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.
Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peace time, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.
Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United State corporations.
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence-economic, political, even spiritual-is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Its not ONLY arms-dealers, its an overly simplistic article
NEOCON is a cult. The arms dealers are important, but involves much of big corporate America, joined by controlled corporate media, certainly the intelligence communities, and above all, high level politicians. It creates a common ideology and uniformity of thought in Washington DC
Don’t forget the graft that people like Joe Biden and John Kerry were involved in, in this particular case - Ukraine.
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Good piece.
When Ron Desantis gave up his seat to run for Governor (yay!), we got a bought-and-paid for replacement in Mike Waltz.
Waltz never met a war he didn’t like. He is lobbying not just for Ukraine, but for expansion of NATO.
He had no real opponent this year, but in 2 years we’ll do whatever it takes to find someone good to run against him. But it won’t be easy. Deep pockets want him there. And he got all kinds of cash from the defense contractors. Plus, he’s going to be chair of the Armed Services committee, which doles out military cash.
We are boned.
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