Who gains from a long war?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Greed is an antidote to good judgment. The profit-oriented military industrial machine that drives western countries to pursue endless wars is simply incapable of sensitivity to the fact that, thanks to its antics, the world is now closer to self-destruction than at any point during the Cold War, which ended in 1989.

That Russia (a nation, like the USA, with enough nuclear weapons to extinguish humanity) has been pushed into an existential corner for no good reason is of no more importance to those profiting from the west’s proxy war in Ukraine than were the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Libyans and Syrians lost in previous profit-driven western wars of aggression.

Let’s consider for a moment who it is that will benefit from yet another “forever war”.

Russia? Certainly not. As a continental nation with troublesome neighbours from the Baltic to North Korea, it has (like China) adopted a defensive strategic stance throughout its history, fearing instability of any kind on its borders. This is why its demands regarding Ukraine (if you actually listen to them, rather than to discredited western media) were both reasonable and defensive in nature.

Do the people of the United States benefit? Of course not. Their tax dollars, which could easily have brought universal access to healthcare up to genuine first world standards (it presently lags Cuba in infant mortality rates), have instead been spent on needless military aggression all over the world.

More is spent on “defence” than on education in a country that has not been threatened militarily since the War of 1812. Who do you think profits from that?

The American people?

Britain, for its part, is the most militarily belligerent country in human history. Of the 191 sovereign states existing today, only 22 have not been invaded, attacked or colonised by the United Kingdom. Yet during most of that history, its own people lived at no higher a standard than the foreign victims of the ruling class whose greed drove those wars.

A clue to who benefits from this particular war is to be found in the nature of the aid being sent to Ukraine by the west.

Russia has captured hundreds of expensive Stinger and Javelin missile systems in Ukraine and displayed them to anyone interested in reporting it – which obviously excludes the western mainstream media.

The manufacturers of these weapons systems, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, are among the largest contributors to political campaigns in the Unites States. Between them, these companies reported net sales of more than $120 billion last year.

Very obviously, they (and the warmongering politicians whom they fund) will benefit from an endless proxy war in Ukraine. But the funding will ultimately come from the American people, who benefit nothing from it.

In short, to quote the imprisoned Julian Assange, modern western wars are “largely a wealth transfer from US taxpayers to military contractors.”

The “aid” from the American taxpayer will prolong a conflict in Eastern Europe that will enrich the corporations that fund politicians who love wars and lie through their teeth to provoke and maintain them. Almost every war since the Second World War has followed this pattern.

This is why Western politicians are so determined to avert a truce that a now pummeled Ukraine is actively seeking, instead frantically channeling advanced arms into the country.

Don’t be fooled by the lies, oversimplifications and false narratives of the corporate mainstream media. What we are seeing in Ukraine is not a plucky Mr Zelensky heroically resisting a regional psychopath who woke up one day wanting to devour his neighbour.

Rather, it is Mr Putin who is the plucky resister, finally (and reluctantly) confronting a vast and arms-industry-driven western colossus that is pursuing a policy of ‘containment’ against Russia (and China) and using Ukraine as an instrument of that agenda – as it also uses Taiwan.

The western politicians relishing this proxy war would never of course dare to directly confront Russia, China or any other country capable of actually defending itself. But, as the viral quip goes, they are prepared to fight Putin to the very last Ukrainian.

ANDREW ALLEN

Nassau,

April 9, 2022.

Comments

realityisnotPC says...

Yay! I have been waiting for another laugh out loud letter from Comrade Allen. I love it...the West have been pursuing an endless war in Ukraine! Nearly spat my coffee out I laughed so hard. Yeah, the West didn't send countless envoys and diplomatic missions to try to stop Putin invading Ukraine. And I suppose Putin (that sweet, kind hearted, peace loving, democratically driven lover of all mankind) wasn't the one who ordered the attack (after lying for weeks and saying he had NO INTENTION of invading Ukraine).
"Western politicians are so determined to avert a truce"...what a crock. The only thing any rational reader can believe in Comrade Allen's diatribe is "don't be fooled by the lies", because in this reader's opinion Comrade Allen's latest missive is, like so many of his other rants, full of them.
Nevertheless they are very amusing, so please keep them coming!

Posted 14 April 2022, 2:32 p.m. Suggest removal

skeptic says...

You are clearly not familiar with the Minsk accords, by which the 2014 (western staged) coup and the ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine were to be resolved between Russia, Ukraine and the breakaway regions. Ukraine (goaded by its US and European sponsors) has refused to undertake its obligations under the agreements for 8 years and has instead kept up a steady shelling of the eastern regions, which your brainwashing media says absolutely nothing about.
Anyone with a drop of curiosity, who does not wait for big conflagrations and the distorted narratives that the media has scripted in advance for them, will have noted the steady but barely reported (much less sensationalized) western encroachment on Russia's peripheries by use of proxies (Poland, Georgia, Ukraine) that are the target of economic inducements (by the EU) and 'color revolutions' kindled by the likes of Obama and Hilary Clinton in pursuit of a reckless policy of 'containment' and 'regime change' that the senile Mr. Biden even recently blurted out.
If you honestly believe the narrative you are being fed, then that is your prerogative. But apart from resorting to ad hominem attacks, your response does little to shield that narrative from the points made in my letter.

Posted 14 April 2022, 7:47 p.m. Suggest removal

JokeyJack says...

Exactly correct. The US media tells Americans what they must believe (and Bahamians too). Nobody seems to want to seriously address the question of WHY Ukraine should join NATO, let alone Sweden and FInland.

Where is the threat from Russia? Russia is a part of the global community (as we are learning with higher oil and wheat prices) and have caused no problems. China is the one deploying killer satellites in space, and blocking open pathways in the "South China" Sea, and destroying economies of small nations around the world with devastating "loans".

Focusing on Russia, gives China the break from the spotlight. They can now continue their take-over of the world and develop new improved viruses in their labs which nobody is allowed to inspect (or even suggest make viruses). A free and clear path for Chinese world domination.

Thank God someone (Putin) is standing up to them (which is what this is all about behind the scenes).

Posted 17 April 2022, 6:42 p.m. Suggest removal

realityisnotPC says...

Don’t watch US media unless it is to laugh at Fox News from time to time.

Not that it will ever happen now, but isn’t it obvious that Ukraine, after having Crimea invaded and suffering from Russian-backed insurrection in the Eastern Donbas, might think it a good idea to try and protect itself from further Russian aggression? And as for Sweden and Finland…hello? They have just seen Russia invade a European sovereign country and not surprisingly are also a little bit concerned for their own protection as long as a dictator like Putin remains in control (by locking up or murdering anyone who opposes him).
Where is the threat from Russia? This cannot be a serious question. Yes, China is a big threat, but the existence of the Chinese threat does not negate the existence of the Russian threat…that would be like saying we don’t need to worry about ebola because haven’t you heard about malaria…ie absurd.
Agree 100% that China is a big, malevolent threat to the free, democratic world, but you can make that case much more strongly if you don’t undermine yourself with other absurdities.

Posted 22 April 2022, 10:34 a.m. Suggest removal

Bobsyeruncle says...

Actually, both sides are guilty of not undertaking their obligations in both the Minsk I and Minsk II agreements, so stop your one-sided finger pointing. Russia has repeatedly stated that the accords don't apply to them because they were not involved in the conflict. - yeah, right!

Posted 18 April 2022, 4:48 p.m. Suggest removal

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