This is another piece from the over 18 site, 1000 Natural Shocks, that also accurately describes the way governments and big business work to promote war in order to boost the economy. And it also describes the situation over here. Our government has also heavily promoted arms sales to foreign governments around the world, including those, like the Saudis, where human rights are minimal or non-existent. And Cameron is clearly pushing for war against Syria, despite the opposition of the majority of the great British public.
Tags: 1000 Natural Shocks, Arms Industry, Capitalism, David Cameron, Human Rights, War
January 2, 2016 at 11:42 am |
In November I helped host a discussion at the House of Commons on the Ethics (!!) of the UK Arms Trade, one of the speakers was Andrew Feinstein a politician in South Africa (he worked against apartheid), but in the last 10 years has undertaken very brave research re the shadow world of the arms trade, the information he relates in this short clip is hair-raising: https://youtu.be/2F6J4Xvdkuo
For a fuller speech from him and more on the hidden dynamics within politics, here is an extended speech from Andrew a couple of weeks later at Medact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_LdFfYhqD0
January 2, 2016 at 12:19 pm |
Thanks, Michelle. This is going to be very interesting indeed. And I share your astonishment that the arms trade could ever be considered ethical.
January 2, 2016 at 12:13 pm |
[…] https://beastrabban.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/meme-on-governments-capitalism-and-the-economics-of-war… […]
January 2, 2016 at 2:26 pm |
[…] Source: Meme on Governments, Capitalism and the Economics of War | Beastrabban’s Weblog […]
January 2, 2016 at 2:33 pm |
Reblogged this on amnesiaclinic and commented:
Wars are very big business. As General Smedley said, “War is a racket”.
Ordinary people fight the wars and pay for them with their taxes and then have to fund the rebuilding or the chaos which ensues with the chaos.
Finding the source or the reasons that the bankers find to push for wars is vital.
Going back to JFK and why and how he was assassinated and then looking at the roots of the current wars it might be very useful to look at Judy Wood’s incredibly detailed work in her book,”Where did the 2 towers go?”
January 2, 2016 at 4:14 pm |
Very true, Amnesiaclinic. I’d forgotten about the quote by General Smedley, but it definitely rings true. As for the invasion of Afghanistan, I’ve also come across other writers, like Blum, who state that the real reason for the invasion wasn’t the destruction of the Twin Towers, but to build and protect the oil pipelines running through the country.
January 2, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Hi, yes, astonishment is the best descriptor and also feeling sickened.
In 2014 when I was researching for Campaign Against Arms Trade I posted Smedley Butler’s 1935 speech (it was also printed as a book). If any readers of your blog have time his ‘War is a Racket’ speech or ‘turning blood into gold’ is worth listening to. A recording of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI3lckqaSk0 or here: http://ia600507.us.archive.org/3/items/nonfiction018_librivox/snf018_warisaracket_butler_jh.mp3
and printed versions: https://archive.org/details/WarIsARacket or here: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4377.htm
On recent spending on war racketeering by the USA (including the sojourn into Afghanistan) this is sobering reading, in 13 years they paid out $1.6 trillion to military contractors (shown on the second page of the Congressional Research file, December 8th 2014) Ref: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf
January 2, 2016 at 8:35 pm
Thanks for these very useful piece, Michelle. and that statistic, $1.6 trillion to military contractors for Afghanistan, is really chilling. We are back to Brecht’s Mother Courage here: ‘War is good for business’.
January 2, 2016 at 10:46 pm |
Why can’t I find 1000 Natural Shocks online? Could we have a link?
January 3, 2016 at 10:05 am |
Hi Patrick, I’ve been reluctant to post a link as it is a site for over 18s, and I didn’t really want children automatically clicking on the link. Not that having to type in the website would stop them, but I thought it might dissuade a few. So for the adults, here’s the address:http://greybeard55.tumblr.com/image/136384949615