The weapons used in just about all of the conflicts in West Asia and North Africa at the moment have only one source: the military industrial complex of the Imperial States of Amerikastan.
We are supplying a large percentage of them. But even if it were a small percentage, the point of the cartoon is that it is too much. Arms dealers do not just (or even primarily) work for the country. They work for the bottom line. So, they make money when people are killing each other – and they like it that way.
The US supplied training weapons to bin Laden, the Taliban, Saddam, Castro, and many others that later became our own enemies. Dick Cheney knew the French were supplying supplying weapons to Saddam because Halliburton was using a wholly owned French subsidiary to do just that while he was CEO. Most recently Congress approved money for aid to Syrian rebels. Seeing as how much of ISIS started out as Syrian rebels, I don’t see how that could possibly bite us in the tucus.
I think the bigger point is that no one is looking at where the guns come from that make groups like ISIS and Boko Haram possible, because of conservative political opposition. Congress had a bill decades ago to tag gunpowder so that crimes could be traced to the source of the guns internationally. (Such tags are used in Tasers, and have been useful.) Naturally, the NRA blocked the bill in congress. One congressman supporting the bill, was heard to express in disbelief “terrorists have a lobby now?”
Morin basically nails it, again. It IS interesting however that alongside the U.S. is our "only ally in the Middle East, who supplied most of the weapons, especially goodies like recycled Hind helicopters, to the third world: IDI, Israeli Defense Industries, until recently a totally state owned industry, danged Communists!
Capitalism, per se, has no moral position. The goal of capitalism is the maximization of profit. So if selling weapons makes a profit, then capitalism says, What’s the problem? Of course individuals who happen to own capital can make personal moral decisions otherwise. But their moral decisions are independent of the goals of capitalism. (I used to belong to an academic organization that had a large portfolio of stocks, but they had a rule that they wouldn’t invest in tobacco or alcohol.)
King_Shark about 9 years ago
The weapons used in just about all of the conflicts in West Asia and North Africa at the moment have only one source: the military industrial complex of the Imperial States of Amerikastan.
cdward about 9 years ago
We are supplying a large percentage of them. But even if it were a small percentage, the point of the cartoon is that it is too much. Arms dealers do not just (or even primarily) work for the country. They work for the bottom line. So, they make money when people are killing each other – and they like it that way.
Jason Allen about 9 years ago
The US supplied training weapons to bin Laden, the Taliban, Saddam, Castro, and many others that later became our own enemies. Dick Cheney knew the French were supplying supplying weapons to Saddam because Halliburton was using a wholly owned French subsidiary to do just that while he was CEO. Most recently Congress approved money for aid to Syrian rebels. Seeing as how much of ISIS started out as Syrian rebels, I don’t see how that could possibly bite us in the tucus.
woodwork about 9 years ago
seems to me that I hear a lot more AK’s firing than I do M-16’s in thse areas…you can close your eyes and know which is which
ARodney about 9 years ago
I think the bigger point is that no one is looking at where the guns come from that make groups like ISIS and Boko Haram possible, because of conservative political opposition. Congress had a bill decades ago to tag gunpowder so that crimes could be traced to the source of the guns internationally. (Such tags are used in Tasers, and have been useful.) Naturally, the NRA blocked the bill in congress. One congressman supporting the bill, was heard to express in disbelief “terrorists have a lobby now?”
TheFinalSolution about 9 years ago
@ARodney
“Congress had a bill decades ago to tag gunpowder so that crimes could be traced to the source of the guns internationally.”
Explain to me how domestically produced, tagged ammunition leads to the source of guns internationally.
eugene57 about 9 years ago
You may believe…
Dtroutma about 9 years ago
Morin basically nails it, again. It IS interesting however that alongside the U.S. is our "only ally in the Middle East, who supplied most of the weapons, especially goodies like recycled Hind helicopters, to the third world: IDI, Israeli Defense Industries, until recently a totally state owned industry, danged Communists!
lonecat about 9 years ago
Capitalism, per se, has no moral position. The goal of capitalism is the maximization of profit. So if selling weapons makes a profit, then capitalism says, What’s the problem? Of course individuals who happen to own capital can make personal moral decisions otherwise. But their moral decisions are independent of the goals of capitalism. (I used to belong to an academic organization that had a large portfolio of stocks, but they had a rule that they wouldn’t invest in tobacco or alcohol.)
manteo16nc about 9 years ago
Bill and Hillary: We knew those Russian uranium sales would pay off!