What can be done to lessen the influence of the military-industrial complex in business and foreign affairs?

Question

Military-Industrial Complex, mutually supportive relationship of the armed services and the industrial corporations that supply weapons and other goods to the military. Critics argue that the military-industrial complex inflates defense budgets and protects weapon programs that security needs alone do not justify.

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“The conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience,” he said. “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2006. © 1993-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Answer 1

The military-industrial complex is generally defined as a "coalition consisting of the military and industrialists who profit by manufacturing arms and selling them to the government." (War profiteering) Eisenhower related, however, that until World War II, the United States did not have an armaments industry. Even though "American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well," the United States could "no longer risk emergency improvisation" of the country's national defense.

The United States, he continues, had been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. At that time, the U.S. was annually spending more on military security "than the net income of all United States corporations." This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry, he said, was "new in the American experience" and that there was an imperative need for this development.

Writing for the March 2003 issue of Business2.0, Ian Mount, David H. Freedman, and Matthew Maier address what is now called the New military-industrial complex. As anyone who has been following the current war in Iraq is well aware, "the nature of the battle" is "unlike anything the world has ever known." Afghanistan, the writers say, "provided a glimpse of the latest generation of high-tech weaponry, but it was only a glimpse. A major assault by combined American forces will provide a full demonstration of the military's new doctrine of faster, lighter, smarter warfare -- combat in which cutting-edge technology becomes U.S. troops' deadliest weapon. The Pentagon calls this new doctrine RMA, for revolution in military affairs, and it's made possible not just by fresh thinking in the Pentagon but also by a subtle shift in the ranks of U.S. defense contractors. In building its new high-tech arsenal, the United States has also created a new military-industrial complex."

"When it comes to military spending, the tradition of the iron triangle—Congress, the Pentagon, and defense industries—joining to push costly weaponry is nothing new." In his speech, Eisenhower said that "The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

Answer 2

Expose the Council on Foreign Relations. This organization of about 3500 people publishes a magazine called Foreign Affairs, which you can find on the news stand or in the library. Membership is composed of politicians, people high up in mainstream media, executives of major corporations, liberal think tanks, the administration of some of the major colleges, some high ranking military officers, and State Department officials.

The CFR has run our foreign policy since WW2. They get us into undeclared wars, benefit from those wars economically, and convince the American people that this is all to our advantage through the media.

Answer 3

The "military-industrial" complex in the US has been cut tremendously since the Cold War. Many, if not most, defense related manufacturing plants have either been closed or converted to non-military products. Aircraft are about the only area where such talk applies anymore and that has been only because few countries have the ability to make first line aircraft.

Answer 4

The foothold is firm,but now it leaves an imprint that is nonfunctional and a deterrent to it's existence.If this country would consider addressing issues that were in existence before the rise to world dominance, dissimilar footprints would appear towards progress and true world peace.We have a problem in the fact that a high population is a deterrent to leadership.

Answer 5

Before I can answer your question I must ask you to define the military-industrial complex.
I'm not sure you understand the term.
should we let the food service-retail complex influence foreign affairs. would make as much sense.

Answer 6

I suppose we could decentralize all the worlds civilizations and degenerate back to being hunter-gatherers.

Answer 7

Stop all inquiries into possible corruption in winning overseas defense contracts..... Sorry, you said LESSEN. My mistake....

Answer 8

They OWN the USA.....money talks

A collapse of currency...who knows

Answer 9

Vote.

Answer 10

It is all about legislation and the budget . . .
Get their budget cut if you want to lessen it .