Arms makers profit from war? Yes, nothing new here. But it’s not that simple. When one side arms itself, or is provided arms to push their agenda, the other side must do the same. It would be nice, even Utopian, if one side refused the bait, but how often does that end well for the side which prefers peace?
Gandhi and his followers were probably the most successful in responding to British armed occupation. But, despite some violent excesses on the part of the British, they were not out to slaughter the population of India.
Sometimes I think the soldiers of 1917 Russia were the smartest. The were poorly armed, clothed, fed, and ill-led. They began to drop their guns, leave the trenches, and set off for home. But, Germany imposed a hard treaty upon them, and then threw their weight against the West in one last attempt to “win”.
If one wants an insight into the worldwide manufacture & sales of arms, read “The Arms of Krupp”, by William Manchester. Sometimes, it is almost humorous, some of the shennanigans Krupp pulled to obtain foreign orders away from their competition!
Years ago, I read a book called “Silent Running”. I forget the author. But it was written in the eighties, and focused upon our submarine building program, General Dynamics, and Admiral Rickover (Head of our sub program). Rickover had many run-ins with our sole maker of nuclear-powered submarines, which often did what was more profitable for them, rather than the safety of American sailors who would man these underwater giants.
BIG money is still KING. Politics comes next. Arms profits come later.
Mangy: that led to things like the Thresher, on the aircraft end, we still have the worthless B-1s, B-2s, F-22s, and F-35s, and of course the Littoral junk vessel, and those “extended” Coast Guard ships that broke in half. Yep, “defense” contractors alway make out okay, even though the “troops” don’t.
Mangy: that led to things like the Thresher, on the aircraft end, we still have the worthless B-1s, B-2s, F-22s, and F-35s, and of course the Littoral junk vessel, and those “extended” Coast Guard ships that broke in half. Yep, “defense” contractors alway make out okay, even though the “troops” don’t.
moosemin almost 10 years ago
Arms makers profit from war? Yes, nothing new here. But it’s not that simple. When one side arms itself, or is provided arms to push their agenda, the other side must do the same. It would be nice, even Utopian, if one side refused the bait, but how often does that end well for the side which prefers peace?
Gandhi and his followers were probably the most successful in responding to British armed occupation. But, despite some violent excesses on the part of the British, they were not out to slaughter the population of India.
Sometimes I think the soldiers of 1917 Russia were the smartest. The were poorly armed, clothed, fed, and ill-led. They began to drop their guns, leave the trenches, and set off for home. But, Germany imposed a hard treaty upon them, and then threw their weight against the West in one last attempt to “win”.
If one wants an insight into the worldwide manufacture & sales of arms, read “The Arms of Krupp”, by William Manchester. Sometimes, it is almost humorous, some of the shennanigans Krupp pulled to obtain foreign orders away from their competition!
Years ago, I read a book called “Silent Running”. I forget the author. But it was written in the eighties, and focused upon our submarine building program, General Dynamics, and Admiral Rickover (Head of our sub program). Rickover had many run-ins with our sole maker of nuclear-powered submarines, which often did what was more profitable for them, rather than the safety of American sailors who would man these underwater giants.
BIG money is still KING. Politics comes next. Arms profits come later.
Dtroutma almost 10 years ago
Mangy: that led to things like the Thresher, on the aircraft end, we still have the worthless B-1s, B-2s, F-22s, and F-35s, and of course the Littoral junk vessel, and those “extended” Coast Guard ships that broke in half. Yep, “defense” contractors alway make out okay, even though the “troops” don’t.
Dtroutma almost 10 years ago
Mangy: that led to things like the Thresher, on the aircraft end, we still have the worthless B-1s, B-2s, F-22s, and F-35s, and of course the Littoral junk vessel, and those “extended” Coast Guard ships that broke in half. Yep, “defense” contractors alway make out okay, even though the “troops” don’t.