Ukraine ping
After his tenure as President, Eisenhower gave a speech that has been transmogrified by the media and liberal academia into something it wasn’t - a screed against defense spending. Eisenhower spent 10% of the economy on defense every single year of his administration. We are now at 4%. The big point Eisenhower made during that speech was the necessity to never be taken by surprise again by superior enemy armaments, which is why military spending needed to remain higher than the 1% of the economy preceding Pearl Harbor that led to disastrous defeats at the beginning of the war. The need to not expand military spending excessively (i.e. beyond the 10% he spent) was just a footnote.
Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peacetime, 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 States 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 militaryindustrial 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.
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.
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. ]
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 militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
Thanks Zhang Fei.
Agreed !
It is truly sad, very undesired, and unfortunate, but the only true reason our adversaries haven’t destroyed is or our allies at many points in the past century, but especially since WWII, has been our own strategic readiness, and constant readiness of our forces globally.
In this globally adversarial atmosphere, those who push for us to de-arm are either enemies seeking the hastened demise of the US and its allies, or those who would only realize their error as their nation and children are being tortured to death, or incinerated.
Without exception, every time the US has powered down/drawn down it’s sword into plowshares, conflict and even WW has resulted.
In the perfect world, we all truly love and desire peace.
Domestically —
This is a world of immoral government sociopaths. These are only ever scheming and trying to demoralize and destroy true Western belief in God and the subsequent derived moral codes, the individuals, families, and the society which provide the national strength necessary to remain free.
Globally, our adversaries never rest, and only scheme and influence our weakness, and desire for us to put our “swords” down.
As a Believer, while the unrealized promises will increase going forward, the only kingdom on this earth which will see swords turned into plowshares, concurrent with peace, will be the one which is ruled by Christ, and His “rod of iron”.
Until then, there will always be conflict, as well as ever increasing intensity of the conflicts.
It won’t matter one spit in the oceans, how many cry out “neo-con”.
“Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” (Benjamin Franklin)
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” (Benjamin Franklin)
“He who gives his freedom for safety gets none of them.” (Thomas Jefferson)
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
(Patrick Henry)