Peace Industrial Complex

By Javier Hernández Mejía

Never has it been a secret that the strategic alliance among Congress, military and the defense industry is widely known as the Military Industrial Complex, MIC. This interaction influences foreign policy determinately, especially that of the United States. The underlying factor in this agreement lies on the benefits for each ally whose actual modus operandi fails to be available to the average citizen, despite the public demand for transparency.

On the one hand, the USA’s government, through the Pentagon, procures sophisticated high-tech weapons and gadgetry, as well as cutting-edge war contraptions and machines such as cruise missiles, tanks, fighter jets, drones and aircraft carriers, among others. On the other hand, huge corporations which invest skyrocketing budgets in researching and developing new weaponry rake in exorbitant profits every time the USA engages in war. In 2019, for instance, statistical figures revealed that Uncle Sam allocated 717 billion dollars to national defense whereas China, India, Germany, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, France and Japan, combined, authorized 486 billion dollars for warfare missions.

In 1961, in his farewell address, Dwight D.

Eisenhower, President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States, warned about the foreseeable future in which the MIC would devise the subtle takeover of American democracy. In the aftermath of WWII, the Cold War was flagged as the beginning of the arms race between the USA and the USSR. From then on, this clash worsened the conditions as far as foreign policymaking philosophy concerns. It was a whole new ball game. Instead of serving their own people, governments would wind up paving the path for war-oriented, blue-chip corporations to capitalize their investments through the sale of armaments to both national and international military troops, regardless of the purchaser’s position, friend or foe. Ever since, every single battle plotted at the Pentagon has been accomplished at taxpayer expense. After analyzing this daunting scenario, I wonder how we can declare war on war and annihilate, once and for all, this ruthless and devastating evil. Therefore, it is crucially important to revamp the latest version of the approach known as Peace Industrial Complex. This flourishing industry has been committed to furthering the economies of the globe by creating mechanisms to boost conflict resolution, peacemaking and peacebuilding at either domestic or foreign geographical latitudes. Thus, it is highly imperative that politicians and top executives through their lobbying power, not to mention the Secretary of Defense of the USA, streamline their defense policies to aim at new targets for the sake of the underprivileged. Otherwise, our planet Earth will be doomed to perish unavoidably immersed in catastrophic armed hostilities.

After a large-scale war, it turns out to be ludicrous and outrageous to declare a “winner” in the middle of chaos, suffering, debris, massive bloodshed, genocide, squandering of human and natural resources and global financial crisis. With no exception, the whole humankind loses every time. Under no circumstances can we allow more sacrifice or exploitation of scientists, children, hard-working communities, mothers and soldiers - just to name a few - for the benefit of a handful of greedy “patriots.” Through the Peace Industrial Complex, peacemakers ought to channel the knowledge, hard work, hope, commitment, pride and enthusiasm to contrive and then rebuild our planet. We long to live in a world in which new generations are able to live a full life without the fear of being drafted for compulsory military service. Ultimately, this military duty never delivers benefits to the mainstream majority of ordinary people.

Needless to say, we, as representatives of the World Organization for Peace, uphold the posture of the Peace Industrial Complex which strives for turning R&D programs subsidized by the Air Force and the Navy into civilian technology projects. Every single breakthrough should be destined to key sectors such as city infrastructure, health and education in order to bolster the economy and then take a leap of quality in our life styles.

Likewise, the WOFP has joined this Industrial Complex on its intent on persuading lawmakers at the legislative branch to pass more appropriate bills into laws. By updating the legal framework or enacting new ordinances, Congress should support its citizens through a friendly fiscal system for taxpayers. The fiscal law should also allocate a larger share of the contributions to upgrade the whole economic system. If the government, along with corporations, takes really good care of its civilians through tailored comprehensive social programs, better pension and retirement plans, hospitals, schools and a myriad of other social action plans, a virtuous cycle will be automatically triggered, and living conditions will be meaningfully enhanced as a result.

Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Alternatively, H. G. Wells said “History is a race between education and catastrophe.” These wise statements comprise the solid foundations for strengthening both political consciousness and political will. The Peace Industrial Complex relies on well-informed political judgements to inspire countrymen filled with courage and conviction to transform reality. Humankind can no longer afford to put up with this prevailing establishment. All of us, collaborators at the WOFP, certainly believe in the pursuit of a thorough education as an essential weapon of mass construction to request the MIC to undergo a full and peacemaking reconfiguration.

AGRADECIMIENTOS:

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