Comments on: Iraq For Sale – Watch It Here http://www.mccranium.org/2006/11/16/iraq-for-sale-watch-it-here/ Moto - Music - Miscellany - Politics Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:08:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: steve http://www.mccranium.org/2006/11/16/iraq-for-sale-watch-it-here/comment-page-1/#comment-14844 steve Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:55:42 +0000 http://www.mccranium.org/?p=382#comment-14844 The argument was made once that WWI was actually caused by arms dealers. It is probably not reasonable to assert that this was the only cause, but it is certainly true that the larger the political clout of organizations that stand to profit from a war, the more likely it is that a nation will be dragged into a war by those interests. Eisenhower warned of this. "Tin hats" have argued that one of the motivations for Kennedy's assassination was his reluctance to commit to Vietnam. As bad as armament firms can be for the cause of peace, there is a fundamental difference between armament dealers and firms that sell operational logistics. The former can help a country be prepared for war, and make a profit on those preparations. The latter, however, only make a profit so long as wars are actually being prosecuted. And the bigger, longer, and more economically ruinous those wars are, the bigger their profits. That makes the practice fly in the face of good sense and judgment. The argument was made once that WWI was actually caused by arms dealers. It is probably not reasonable to assert that this was the only cause, but it is certainly true that the larger the political clout of organizations that stand to profit from a war, the more likely it is that a nation will be dragged into a war by those interests. Eisenhower warned of this. “Tin hats” have argued that one of the motivations for Kennedy’s assassination was his reluctance to commit to Vietnam.

As bad as armament firms can be for the cause of peace, there is a fundamental difference between armament dealers and firms that sell operational logistics. The former can help a country be prepared for war, and make a profit on those preparations. The latter, however, only make a profit so long as wars are actually being prosecuted. And the bigger, longer, and more economically ruinous those wars are, the bigger their profits. That makes the practice fly in the face of good sense and judgment.

]]> By: Gordon http://www.mccranium.org/2006/11/16/iraq-for-sale-watch-it-here/comment-page-1/#comment-14348 Gordon Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:25:43 +0000 http://www.mccranium.org/?p=382#comment-14348 Machiavelli said the following about mercenaries: <blockquote> "Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; if one holds his state on the basis of mercenary arms, he will never be firm or secure; because they are disunited, ambitious, without discipline, unfaithful; gallant among friends, vile among enemies; no fear of God, no faith with men; and one defers ruin insofar as one defers the attack; and in peace you are despoiled by them, in war by the enemy" </blockquote> And Chalmers Johnson on War and Profit: <blockquote> “The Defense Department budget last year was three-quarters of a trillion dollars. I guarantee you that when war becomes that profitable, there will be more of it.” </blockquote> Machiavelli said the following about mercenaries:

“Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; if one holds his state on the basis of mercenary arms, he will never be firm or secure; because they are disunited, ambitious, without discipline, unfaithful; gallant among friends, vile among enemies; no fear of God, no faith with men; and one defers ruin insofar as one defers the attack; and in peace you are despoiled by them, in war by the enemy”

And Chalmers Johnson on War and Profit:

“The Defense Department budget last year was three-quarters of a trillion dollars. I guarantee you that when war becomes that profitable, there will be more of it.”

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