Free Thought Project – by Claire Bernish
The United States is dropping bombs on people at such a furious rate, munitions manufacturers have been unable to keep up with demand.
“We’re expending munitions faster than we can replenish them,” Gen. Mark Welsh said, according to an article in USA Today.
With the U.S. military conducting bombing missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve against the self-titled Islamic State in Syria and elsewhere, it’s no wonder weapons-makers are unable to keep up. Allies have also been making use of those munitions — Saudi Arabia employed U.S.-made bombs in Yemen when it hit and killed an ambulance driver in January.
“The U.S. maintains a pretty steady inventory of bombs and missiles for full-on war scenarios,” explained Roman Schweizer, aerospace and defense policy analyst at Guggenheim Securities to PRI. “But 2 ½ years of fighting ISIS and continued bombing in Afghanistan have exceeded weapons-use projections.”
The spike in demand for weapons of war since the attacks in Paris have sent stock prices and arms sales through the roof.
https://twitter.com/aaron_con_leche/status/666273497585287168
As PRI noted, the munitions include “laser- and GPS-guided bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs, Joint Standoff Weapons, and air-to-ground missiles, such as Hellfire,” which can cost between $25,000 and $400,000 — per unit.
“In the early days of the [Syria] campaign the Navy fired a bunch of Tomahawk cruise missiles,” Schweizer continued, “and those are in the $1 million cost range — but they’re really the higher end of what you might use if you have a contested airspace and you don’t want to put aircraft over targets.”
Speaking specifically for the fight against ISIL, Schweizer explained, “Pilots are able to get close because you are not fighting a very sophisticated — albeit a brutal — enemy, and you’re able to use shorter range- but more precision-guided munitions.”
Precision is gravely important in reducing civilian casualties, though judging by the myriad of reports, the U.S. and its allies seem to be having difficulties not killing innocent people. One startling report from October last year revealed 90 percent of those killed in drone strikes are innocent civilians.
“If we were in a state of war we’d be running three 8-hour shifts, 24 hours a day” to meet supply demands associated with war, Schweitzer said, noting Lockheed-Martin and Boeing are “ramping up” production.
Sadly, politicians use the increased demand in weapons of mass destruction as a reason to celebrate.
According to a recent report from Reuters, American cities are rejoicing over the new windfall, job creation and the economic benefits associated with increased bomb production.
The impact is palpable in Troy, Alabama, where Lockheed Martin Corp builds its 100-pound Hellfire air-to-ground missiles at a 3,863-acre highly secured facility surrounded by woods and horse pastures. Realtors are adding staff in anticipation of new hiring at the plant, and the large grocery chain Publix is opening a store soon.
“What’s good for Lockheed is good for Troy,” said Kathleen Sauer, president of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, adding that the expansion was helping a local economy where unemployment rates are already among the lowest in the state.
“Look at our downtown,” she said. “Almost all the stores are open and we have more coming in.”
It is also important to note that the money used to finance these weapons manufacturers is taken from the public via taxation, or deferred to our children’s children through Federal Reserve debt. As the threat of World War III looms across the planet, the American taxpayers are being fleeced to build the weapons with which this world war will be carried out.
Considering the military-industrial machine always finds a way to profit from killing people, it’s likely the bomb shortage won’t be long-lived.
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/us-running-bombs/#eKYXeR4EeBphWE6z.99
I mean those people have to eat and feed their families don’t you know.
There would be no death painful enough if I was on their jury.
I can’t even begin to imagine why so many foreigners hate us. It must be because of our freedom.
*** According to a recent report from Reuters, American cities are rejoicing over the new windfall, job creation and the economic benefits associated with increased bomb production. ***
Sounds like the “broken windows fallacy” to me. Dropping those bombs harmlessly in the ocean would have the same overall “economic benefit” as dropping them on people: i.e., none, excepting the “defense” industry and other war profiteers. In the long run, these wars are only increasing the national debt and causing people around the world to despise the US, both of which HARM our national security.
Don’t expect most Americans to understand this (especially not the patriotard wing of the GOP) or the military-industrial psychopaths to care about it. Neither do any of these barbarians care about the scale of needless suffering and death from these wars. There’s money to be made! They’d support child rape on a mass scale in foreign lands if they thought it would present a great business opportunity.
Honestly, though: isn’t there anything better they could do to enrich themselves at the expense of the taxpayers and the national debt? Why does it have to be senseless wars against a floating signifier (“terrorism”)? Why not spend the money on space exploration, or on some other costly endeavor that might actually benefit humanity as a whole?
“Look at our downtown,” she said. “Almost all the stores are open and we have more coming in.”
FAMOUS LAST WORDS, “BUT, BUT, BUT I’M A CHRISTIAN.”