Posted on 04/28/2022 5:03:54 AM PDT by KeyLargo
by Ron Paul
“War is a racket, wrote US Maj. General Smedley Butler in 1935. He explained: “A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small ‘inside’ group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.”
Gen. Butler’s observation describes the US/NATO response to the Ukraine war perfectly.
The propaganda continues to portray the war in Ukraine as that of an unprovoked Goliath out to decimate an innocent David unless we in the US and NATO contribute massive amounts of military equipment to Ukraine to defeat Russia. As is always the case with propaganda, this version of events is manipulated to bring an emotional response to the benefit of special interests.
One group of special interests profiting massively on the war is the US military-industrial complex. Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes recently told a meeting of shareholders that, “Everything that ‘s being shipped into Ukraine today, of course, is coming out of stockpiles, either at DOD or from our NATO allies, and that’s all great news. Eventually we’ll have to replenish it and we will see a benefit to the business.”
He wasn’t lying. Raytheon, along with Lockheed Martin and countless other weapons manufacturers are enjoying a windfall they have not seen in years. The US has committed more than three billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine. They call it aid, but it is actually corporate welfare: Washington sending billions to arms manufacturers for weapons sent overseas.
By many accounts these shipments of weapons like the Javelin anti-tank missile (jointly manufactured by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin) are getting blown up as soon as they arrive in Ukraine. This doesn’t bother Raytheon at all. The more weapons blown up by Russia in Ukraine, the more new orders come from the Pentagon.
Former Warsaw Pact countries now members of NATO are in on the scam as well. They’ve discovered how to dispose of their 30-year-old Soviet-made weapons and receive modern replacements from the US and other western NATO countries.
While many who sympathize with Ukraine are cheering, this multi-billion dollar weapons package will make little difference. As former US Marine intelligence officer Scott Ritter said on the Ron Paul Liberty Report last week, “I can say with absolute certainty that even if this aid makes it to the battlefield, it will have zero impact on the battle. And Joe Biden knows it.”
When Democrats cut the funding to South Vietnam (after US troops had left), they doomed that country but the reasoning was that the bloodshed would stop.
Why aren’t Democrats taking the same approach to this?
“they doomed that country but the reasoning was that the bloodshed would stop.”
And how did that work out?
(Cough…Cambodia….cough)
L
Ron Paul is entitled to his opinion. This is expected from those who stick their heads in the sand to what’s going on around them, and ignores that often war is brought upon us by evil parties, and defensive action is required. Ron Paul is right about many things and wrong about others.
Never mind just Cambodia - the reprisals occurred in South Vietnam itself. Any idea of a peaceful resolution disappeared when the communists slaughtered so many in cities they briefly held during the Tet Offensive seven years earlier; they had lists of targets and proceeded accordingly - convincing many South Vietnamese that there would be no peace if the communists won.
The older he gets the more warped he gets.
Keep dancing to the tune of your globalist masters like an idiot.
Their plan to divide conservatives always works with fools. Wake up, you are being played yet again.
Meanwhile, we are incrementally being destroyed. Apparently you are just fine that this country is being destroyed by a thousand cuts, because I see no common sense coming from your side.
The expected reply from someone who can’t make coherent argument. At least try not to sound like a conspiracy nut.
"Russia is a Goliath compared to Ukraine." At about 165 million to 45 million, this is true. the USA is a goliath demographically to Russia at 335 million and a demographic pipsqueak to the EU at 450 million, which is small compared to the totality of Europe at 750 million.
"It was Russia who invaded Ukraine." Indeed true. Has the US invaded any nation(s) in the last decades?
"5 million + refugees is an impressive amount of 'manipulation'." And yet so many Ukrainian refugees seem from elsewhere. One could compare and contrast the "refugees" coming across Biden's "secure" southern border.
"Russia has a history of aggression." True. Have other nations in Europe and North America shown this tendency? One recalls Clinton and NATO bombing Serbia, as one example.
"Weapon manufacturers are entitled to some profit. They make the weapons that keep us free." How free are you feeling of late in Biden's America?
Butler and Paul and KeyLargo posting the material of this thread shows a strain of thought others have also expressed.
In 1961 General and President Eisenhower said clearly, "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."
Argue with Butler? Okay. Argue with Paul? Sure. Shall we argue with Eisenhower as well?
Where are most of the “slavic” populations in the US located?
That might give you an answer.
Yup. CINO rant.
“Their plan to divide conservatives always works with fools.”
Their plan? Are you referring to the Russians & Chinese? Cuz their plan is to cause as much disruption & chaos as they can. Looks like you’re being played.
NWC vs. OWC (New World Communism vs. Old World Communism)
Appreciate and agree with your post, but why bother investing the effort in making a cogent argument when a simple two or three syllable epithet describing those with whom you disagree seems to work so well?
We’re all talking past each other at this point.
Ron Paul is a racket too.
The challenges we face are mostly internal. If I understand your argument it breaks down as follows:
That is what you mean by we are being incrementally destroyed, isn't it?
I concur. Isn’t it strange how these “FReepers” are hooting and hollering about Ukraine? I don’t remember them crying tears over Crimea, or any of the other terrible things going on right now in other countries.
They are very emotional. They make the “underdog” argument.
Heh heh. My response is always “Al Qaida was the underdog too”. Then the statist commie walks off.
Freeper World Traveler just made that point... we’ll see if they walk off.
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