Military-Industrial Complex is alive and well in the post-Cold War era
I'll admit, This story flew below my radar. Apparently, President Obama announced last September his new policy for missile defense in Europe. He began his statement this way:
As Commander-in-Chief, I'm committed to doing everything in my power to advance our national security. And that includes strengthening our defenses against any and all threats to our people, our troops, and our friends and allies around the world.
So our national security is at stake with respect to "any and all threats to ... our troops, and our friends and allies around the world." He makes this statement as if this interpretation of "national security" has always been so. But it has not. To say that any "threat" on any of "our friends and allies" is equivalent to a threat on our nation is a stretch to put it mildly.
And what constitutes a "threat"?
... we have updated our intelligence assessment of Iran's missile programs, which emphasizes the threat posed by Iran's short- and medium-range missiles, which are capable of reaching Europe.
Apparently, some of our crack analysts have information (which we can not share), which in some scenario (which we will not describe), "emphasizes the threat" (won't define what this means) against Europe (not the US).
OK. Please continue.
...we have made specific and proven advances in our missile defense technology, particularly with regard to land- and sea-based interceptors and the sensors that support them. Our new approach will, therefore, deploy technologies that are proven and cost-effective and that counter the current threat, and do so sooner than the previous program. Because our approach will be phased and adaptive, we will retain the flexibility to adjust and enhance our defenses as the threat and technology continue to evolve.
Oooh...I get chills when we have advances in our technology. And our approach will be "phased and adaptive", whatever the hell that means. So, it appears that some defense contractor sold the Chief on some new technology that phases and adapts over a long period of time. Gotta get some of that!
Go on...
Together we are committed to a broad range of cooperative efforts to strengthen our collective defense, and we are bound by the solemn commitment of NATO's Article V that an attack on one is an attack on all.
Ahh...so we have this treaty that says all for one and one for all. So I guess this means that everyone chips in to pay for this deployment? Not according to the Washington Post:
It is a good deal for Europe, which is largely getting the protection for free.
DOH!!!
So, let me get this straight:
- Any threat to our "friends and allies" is a threat to us
- Iran poses an imminent "threat" to our allies
- Therefore we must spend billions of dollars from the US treasury to protect our friends.
- This enhances our National Security
This is a classic example of how the Military Industrial complex works. It needs to create Enemies and Threats that require spending immense amount of money to fund the technology, systems and materials to defend against.
Watch and learn.
