Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
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.
-Dwight D Eisenhower
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Had Eisenhower lived in today’s time he would have warned us against multinational corporations that owe no allegiance to any country, not just the military industrial complex.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:48 am
Unless he makes cuts, everywhere….the dollar will be trash by the end of the year.
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September 30th, 2009 at 4:27 am
You do realize this was a time when our military was 100 times its current size, right?
I mean to apply this to today would make you a ruh-tard.
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September 30th, 2009 at 4:54 am
you can’t complain about spending and then complain when the budget is cut. that’s hypocrisy.
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September 30th, 2009 at 5:23 am
I think that his intentions are good but he doesn’t understand how to run this country at all, and should not be in office, it is very clear to understand that he doesn’t know how deep he is burying us and these liberals need to open there eyes and figure out what they are doing.
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September 30th, 2009 at 5:40 am
why do we have over 150 military bases all over the world?
why do we have bases in europe still?
we SHOULD cut military spending.
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September 30th, 2009 at 6:30 am
We face different threats than we did in the 1950s … but still worrisome. Obama (or any Dem) would think twice about cutting defense spending for fear of appearing "weak" in such a climate.
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September 30th, 2009 at 7:01 am
hope he’s heeding
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September 30th, 2009 at 7:34 am
No, it has nothing to with Eisenhower and it is not truly diabolical either. It is just meant to weaken the nation, make it less of a global watchdog, and more vulnerable to attack, inviting the nukes, plus terrorism to stimulate the economy, killing it’s citizens, hopefully in business centres where they are Republican. Somebody wants Americans to be wimps, and also dead, and he’s da boss, Commander-in-Chief!
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I learned it from Hilary Clinton in a speech/off record and not confirmed
September 30th, 2009 at 8:10 am
You can’t have universal health care and a large military force.
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September 30th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Had Eisenhower lived in today’s time he would have warned us against multinational corporations that owe no allegiance to any country, not just the military industrial complex.
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September 30th, 2009 at 9:16 am
We have OVER 435 military bases around the world
THAT IS NOT COUNTING the 150 in Iraq
or the 75 or so in Afganistan
125 have 18 hole golf courses on them !
(and yes I think the military should have benefits, but you won’t see any fighting men on these courses, just career brass.
I would say, if America wants to portray itself as an aggressor
this would be an ideal way to show it
However
If America wants to allow countries the same freedom to run their business as we DEMAND
we would pull out of the MAJORITY of these bases.
ANOTHER THING I AGREE WITH RON PAUL ON !!
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September 30th, 2009 at 9:35 am
I don’t think he’s heeding the warning of Eisenhower by taking down an old missile defense system that is said to no longer be that valuable. The way I read about it, they are supposed to replace it with a different one. Some parts of the new one are ready to put into place now and other aspects of it won’t be ready for a few more years.
They did pass a defense budget a few months back and they even tacked on (I believe it was $108 million to give to the International monetary fund.) I don’t know how we can give money to the IMF since we are broke ourselves.
Eisenhower’s warning needs to be listened to. The military industrial complex has it’s tentacles around everything. This has been accomplished by fear mongering. People live with the underlying fear every day that we are going to be attacked or killed by someone or something. And so with all the resources we’ve had, and all the potential of mankind…making more and bigger weapons is all we’ve ever been able to evolve into. Very sad to me. I would love to have left my children and grandchildren a peaceful planet.
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