Are U.S. Presidents selling war for profit?
Behind the pomp of presidential summits and NATO handshakes lies an uncomfortable truth—America's foreign policy isn't driven by diplomacy, but by the defence lobby's bottom line. From Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech to Trump's brash missile marketing, every US president has doubled as the world's most powerful arms dealer. The numbers don't lie. Defence giants like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon pump over 80 million annually into lobbying, with nearly 280 million flowing to political campaigns since 1990. This isn't charity—it's investment in influence. Every dollar spent returns tenfold in government contracts and overseas sales approvals.advertisement
NATO's latest pledge makes this crystal clear. By 2035, member states must spend 5% of GDP on "defence"—a windfall wrapped in security rhetoric. Buried in the fine print: 3.5% goes directly to military kit, much of it stamped "Made in USA." European taxpayers will fund American factories whilst their own public services face the chop.The revolving door spins faster than a Chinook's rotors. Pentagon officials become corporate executives, senators join defence boards, and generals turn consultant. This ensures continuity regardless of election results—the real winners remain unchanged.Trump never bothered with subtlety, openly flogging Patriot missiles at NATO summits like a market trader hawking knockoff watches. Biden played the statesman whilst quietly expediting record arms transfers to Ukraine. Obama collected his peace prize then approved 135 billion in weapons sales. Different styles, identical substance.advertisementUkraine's tragedy became America's opportunity. Every HIMARS rocket fired was a billboard for US firepower. Every Patriot battery deployed was a sales demonstration. Zelensky's desperate pleas for seven more systems weren't just about survival—they were free advertising for American defence contractors.The human cost is staggering, but so is the opportunity cost. Half of America's discretionary budget feeds the military machine whilst schools crumble and hospitals close. NATO's spending spree threatens similar austerity across Europe.This isn't foreign policy—it's product placement with geopolitical consequences. When the next crisis erupts, remember: someone dies, but someone else gets rich. In America's war economy, that's not a bug—it's the entire bloody point.- Ends
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