The Danger of the military-industrial complex

[cory777]

Source: Belfast Telegraph

Exactly 50 years ago, on January 17 1961, Eisenhower delivered one of the most celebrated farewell speeches in American history, whose fame has only increased over the decades, eclipsed not even by JFK's inspirational inaugural that followed three days later. Kennedy might have projected the dynamism of youth. But the old soldier won the prize for prescience.

In his speech, Eisenhower warned about the growth of a 'military-industrial complex,' and the risks it could pose. "The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power," Ike said, "exists and will persist." His anxieties back then were prompted by the ten-fold expansion of the US military after two world wars, and by the development of a "permanent arms industry of vast proportions". Today, the proportions of both the military and the industry that serves it are vaster than ever.

Adjusted for inflation, US national security spending has more than doubled since Eisenhower left office. Year after year, the defence budget seems to rise – irrespective of whether the country is actually fighting major wars, regardless of the fact that the Soviet Union, the country's former global adversary, has ceased to be, and no matter which party controls the White House and Congress.

------

The true tragedy is not quite the one that Eisenhower imagined. The US by itself accounts for roughly half of military spending worldwide. How much better if some of that money would be used to improve the country's education and infrastructure, or provide health care for all, or increase foreign aid, rather than on protecting America from threats that geography alone renders illusory.





Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/the-danger-of-the-militaryindustrial-complex-15056246.html

---

News That Matters http://activistnews.blogspot.com/

[bl968]

1. Eisenhower's speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY

[indimuse]

2. 6 Billion KNRZ!!!

[clixtox]

3. Similarly as the German citizens under the Nazis regime...

were proud to be "good Germans", we Americans(US) today seem to revel in our going along with the continuing, unrelenting, brutal program of war crimes, mass murder, torture, racism, invasions, occupations and adroit propaganda occurring in our names, at home and literally around the world.

The question has to be: How long will the American(US) citizens(Sheeple) allow these policies to continue concurrent with the bankrupting of our government, growing poverty, disappearance of the "middle class" and ending of the citizens former rights once guaranteed by the "Bill of Rights", the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution?

Somethings got to give, this situation isn't sustainable for much longer...

[LawnKorn]

4. K&R

[harvey007]

5. Thanks for posting

[NikRik]

6. Yet due to the state of our economy .....

many of our young people are joining the milatary for the reason there just are not enough jobs ! I have nephew who is in the Marines and he told me when he is on leave and came back home to visit most of his friends from H.S. are not working ,they are just hanging around without any direction of what to do with their young lives. So it seems to be a vicous circle, we would like to down size the milatary yet Iam not sure it would be a good thing to do till we get a grip on our economy and yet one of the reasons our economy is in such bad shape is due to the over spending on the milatary. Round and round we go.

[pottersvilleusa]

7. Thanks for posting this

It's a significant anniversary.