Who Are We Fighting For?

[LTS TRN 2]

I mean besides Jesus, etc....

The ten largest defense contractors in the nation spent more than $27 million lobbying the federal government in the last quarter of 2009, according to a review of recently-filed lobbying records.

The massive amount of money used to influence the legislative process came as the White House announced it would ramp up military activity in Afghanistan and Congress considered appropriations bills to pay for that buildup. All told, these ten companies, the largest revenue earners in the industry, spent roughly $7.2 million more lobbying in the fourth quarter of 2009 (October through December) than in the three months prior.

Such an increase in lobbying expenditures is partly a reflection of just how profitable the business of waging war can be. Each of these companies earned billions of dollars in defense contracts this past year. As the U.S. ramps up its military activities overseas, and the army is stretched thin by other ventures, it stands to reason that the contracts won't dry up any time soon.

WW

[OCmike]

Nick, are you new here or something? Americans don't care who our opponent is or why. All that matters is that we better fukkin win.

[Sirfindafold]

27 million?

A drop in the bucket compared to what will be spent trying those fucking towelheads in NY.

Wakey Wake you cocksucker.

[LTS TRN 2]

Nick, are you new here or something? Americans don't care who our opponent is or why. All that matters is that we better fukkin win.

Okay...so tell me ONE war we've won since WWII. And no, the Desert Storm trade show of 1991 doesn't count. How about the U.S. military flying into Port Au Prince in February of 2004 and KIDNAPPING Aristide, the first duly elected president in Haiti's history? Was that a win? Did the "surge" in Iraq work, Mike? Are Americans counting that as a "win"? Let me know when we're "winning" in Afghanistan.

One thing's for sure, the Defense Industry is winning big time. These moral lepers are making the Wall St. kelptocrats look Amish.

WAKE THE FUCK UP!!

[Tom In VA]

Okay...so tell me ONE war we've won since WWII.

Won ? Look around you LTS. The world you're looking at right now is what we "won". Old Euro money needed somebody to kick some ass for them after they saw their countries obliterated in two World Wars. Their former colonial conquests untenable - but the goodies had to keep flowing - someone needed to assist.

We stepped in. Now good folk everywhere look to the US military might to bring food and aid - and a good swift kick in the ass if need be.

Consequently Americans die. Should have paid attention to George Washington and not entangled ourselves in foreign affairs.

[Diogenes]

The Jews, of course.

[LTS TRN 2]

Okay...so tell me ONE war we've won since WWII.

Won ? Look around you LTS. The world you're looking at right now is what we "won". Old Euro money needed somebody to kick some ass for them after they saw their countries obliterated in two World Wars. Their former colonial conquests untenable - but the goodies had to keep flowing - someone needed to assist.

We stepped in. Now good folk everywhere look to the US military might to bring food and aid - and a good swift kick in the ass if need be.

Consequently Americans die. Should have paid attention to George Washington and not entangled ourselves in foreign affairs.

Huh? you mean our "victory" has been our becoming the greatest debtor nation in known history? That's what we've "won"? Exploiting third-world nations with fake loans which directly support international corporations and keep the target country in perpetual debt? That's what we've "won"? And of course our robust Defense Industries selling more weaponry than all the other nations of the world combined? This is our "winning"?

C'mon, Tom, tell me what we've won when we look at the world right now. The Chinese literally own America. Think about that Tom. And the government of a tiny gangster state--Israel--completely controls our foreign policy. Think about that , Tom. We're hip-deep and sinking deeper into intractable and unwinnable wars--and you know it.

Now quit your tedious jingoisms and WAKE THE FUCK UP!!

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

The Jews, of course.

Thanks, buddy.

P.S...check your Paypal account. A little "something" for you. :wink:

[LTS TRN 2]

There is no military industrial complex, tard. When Ike made those remarks in 1961, defense spending was 10% of the gross domestic product and winding down from its peak of 38% in 1944. Now it doesn't even crack 4%.

Avi/Jess...what part of "all the other nations of the world combined"....don't you understand?.... :)

[smackaholic]

mvs, while it is true that our military spending as a percentage of the fed budget is lower, it is also true that fed spending as a percentage of GDP is wayyyyy up. Therefore mil spending as a percentage of GDP may have actually increased.

not saying that we spend too much, or not enough, but, ike was right in his warning about def contractors playing their congressional whores, who could give a fukk if the spending is needed, so long as it's in their district.

[Tom In VA]

ike was right in his warning about def contractors playing their congressional whores, who could give a fukk if the spending is needed, so long as it's in their district.

Of course he was right, it helped him - help England and the Soviet Union win a war, he was right because he KNEW what was going on. He was complicit in it, enjoyed the fruits of it as a successful General which in turn propelled him to the Oval Office - where he enjoyed playing "spy" games with toys built for him via the Military Industrial Complex.

[Lillian Vernon]

The ten largest defense contractors in the nation spent more than $27 million

O.K., so that averages out to 2.7 million per contractor, which are multi-billion dollar companies.

Honestly , I'm suprirsed that's all they spent. Sounds pretty chincy to me.