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The New Arms Race
The world has entered a new arms race, but what justifies this global military addiction?
The world has entered a new arms race at a time of relative peace, totalling $1.5 trillion, that is $217 for every person on the planet.
Over the last decade, Washington has doubled its military budget, fuelling massive military build-ups around the world, from the emerging powers in the South China Seas to the multi-billion-dollar arms deals in the Middle East, begging the question where and when this vicious cycle of rising military expenditures will end.
Aside from the strategic dimension, leaders and pundits have also advanced the economic case for their excessive spending, both in terms of supply and demand.
Apart from the extensive profits from selling arms, the military industry creates thousands of manufacturing jobs in the shadow of the latest international economic crisis and high unemployment.
However, considering that spending on the military takes away from other higher-yielding, less costly and more important sectors of the economy, Empire asks: What justifies this global military addiction, or, has the world been duped by the multi-national, military industrial complex?
Joining the discussion are Robert Kaplan from the Center for New American Security, Ellen Laipson, CEO and president at the Stimson Center, Joseph Cirincione, the president of Ploughshares Fund, and Ambassador Richard Butler, the former chief weapons inspector, Iraq.
© 2010 The Real News Network
9 Comments so far
Show AllUnited States Taxpayers continue to pay over fifty cents of every tax dollar on the military. Imagine what we could do if we redirected some of this money towards universal healthcare. Many thousands of Americans would not be homeless today had we not waisted billion on war.
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there's nothing new about North Korea having been forced to waste their scarce resources on military buildup,
as it has been under constant threat of nuclear weapons that have been abundant in the US military bases scattered around south korea, japan, and guam.
north korea has been under the most inhumane embargo by the US and its allies, ever since its inception in 1948.
the historical context of the korean war is almost exactly like vietnam's history: a civil war, ignited by the capitalist imperialists, in the countries where people wanted a socialist-communist government.
Great program. I did not realize the military contracts were so widely spread around the US. I'd like to see a map with contract dollars by state.
It is all about money, and America's Military Industrial Complex is making it.
Why make a fridge that only makes you x$ in profit when you can make a missile that makes you many times x$.
Since missiles and bombs go boom much more often than fridges, you can always sell more.
Basic economics really. Dunno why people are still wondering why it should be any different.
If only I could earn so little as not to pay taxes....
Oh yes after Tuesday it might happen whether I have a say in it or not.
Look at the man in the picture given on this link.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/10/31/gordon-duff-bombs-terrorism-and-manure/
Note the headband and the tatoo on his open collar.
American presidents and presidents' 'Men'.. LOOK AFTER YOUR OWN. If it takes socialism, or communism, or religions to have to silently worship ( as in 'Jesus' commanded : pray in a closet) then sobeit. Religious buildings for purposes of births, marriages or deaths. Small and 'beautiful' to attract the 'spirit'. Otherwise, silence. No SERMONS, to stir the blood. Or, one day, it will 'too late'.. you will be 'downed' via collusion by other powerful countries.
A massive attack 'all at once' on your relatively small area of land, its being : all in one place and so a sitting duck. Easy to cover with WMD America has sold your (rightfully) enemies.
Your country is selling WMD to other lands who are your ENEMIES beneath the wily smiles.
SPEND YOUR MONEY on DEFENCE... Science/technology, and the suppling of the material objects... is so much cheaper than keeping armies, navies, airforcesin far away aforeign lands, each watching the others back AND THEIR OWN.. demented men coming home. Hating (the decent ones) what they have done.. re-living horrors of their behaviour under dire stress. Changed people.
Well, I have, long before these horrifying attacks, assaults, were being made on other lands, thought : America has everything it needs to supply itself with a land good to live in. For everyone living in it.
Lost chance.
~sc
Who benefits?
The entire securocrazy industry magnifies fears to overproduce weapons and widgets for money. The most fearful are the armed forces themselves, who continue to professionally demand weapons upgrades. Shrouded in secrecy are the industries who charge the premium prices for their addicted customers, ultimately receiving half of every taxpayer dollar. Feeding at the trough is every US state and senator.
The result is an expensive defence system that does not efficiently address real defence needs. It also takes massive resources from the civilian economy. By trying to have a military ready for every possible war, the nation as a whole may be ready for none.
The arms race with China, Russia, Korea, Japan no doubt suffers from similar inefficiencies, but on a smaller scale. It is very possible that the catchup arms races are making more effective war machines.
And who are the people most likely to be on the receiving end of these weapons? They are most likely to be the poorest inhabitants in resource disputed nations such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
The world is buying the means to better exterminate its civilian populations. There is also no other reason for the US to have overwhelming nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
Acquiring weapons is all about destroying national populations, despite their defence weapons. When a large scale war arrives relatively soon, there will be a destructive hail from every warship, plane and missile.