Who wins in war?

Historically a society benefits economically during war with increased government spending on production and manufacturing. The American economy has interestingly slumped with a potential for chaos after 7 years of conflict paid for on credit.

Soldiers are paid better now than ever but their civilian contractor counter parts are being paid 6 times the pay for often a fraction of the work and responsibility.

To those who read history books it is known that war is a racket. It never hurts to see some data that supports that truth.

"I don't want to see a single war millionaire created in the United States as a result of this world disaster." So said President Franklin Delano Roosevelt about World War II, and President Harry Truman first made a name for himself as a Senator by crusading against war profiteering. The same cannot be said about the current wartime situation, as war profiteering seems to be the trend of the day according to the twelfth annual CEO compensation survey conducted by United for a Fair Economy (UFE) and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS). [Source]

Lockheed’s Earnings Jump 13 Percent[Washington Post, July 23, 2008, Pg. D1] Lockheed Martin reported a strong second quarter yesterday, with profit up 13 percent compared with the corresponding period last year.

General Dynamics’ Quarterly Profit Up 24%[Washington Post, July 24, 2008, Pg. D4] General Dynamics’ second-quarter profit rose 25 percent, boosted by higher sales of armored vehicles and tanks. The company also raised its full-year earnings outlook.

Northrop, Others Win $10 Billion Contract[Washington Post, July 24, 2008, Pg. D4] Northrop Grumman is one of eight firms awarded a contract worth up to $10.12 billion to support weapons systems at U.S. military installations in America and abroad.

Pentagon Auditors Pressured To Favor Contractors, GAO Says[Washington Post, July 24, 2008, Pg. D1] Auditors at a Pentagon oversight agency were pressured by supervisors to skew their reports on major defense contractors to make them look more favorable instead of exposing wrongdoing and charges of over billing, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office.

Military Contractors' Cost: $85 Billion(Philadelphia Inquirer, August 13, 2008) Military contracts in the Iraq theater have cost taxpayers at least $85 billion since the 2003 invasion, and, when it comes to providing security, they might not be any cheaper than using military personnel, the Congressional Budget Office reported. The study was released amid increased scrutiny of military contractors, some of whom are being investigated in the shooting deaths of Iraqis and the accidental electrocutions of U.S. troops.

Beyond the monetary concerns there is political capital to be gained from the blood of patriots as well. McCain's campaign comes right out at acknowledges that their camp would benefit greatly from a terror attack between now and the election.

For all it was, 9/11 launched the Bush/Cheney empire plan into reality and enabled the thoughts that at one time seemed beyond their wildest dreams into a (no longer) secret and harsh reality.

A recent survey shows that 86% of Congress has financial stake in defense industry stock. A wild and blatant conflict of interest to be sure.

Only those who reap windfall profits from the blood of patriots win in war.

Ike warned us long ago: "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."