THE ARMS INDUSTRIES STRING-PULLERS
With its staggering $692 billion defence (war) budget, the American arms industry constitutes 43% of the world’s military expenditure. This is not far behind the value of Britain and Russia’s combined export trade. The financial resources and political clout exercised by this military machine’s lobbying apparatus dwarf many national interests and economies. These conglomerates, like the pharmaceutical industries, are far more powerful and influential than many governments.
Through lobbying, a euphemism for sharp-suited salesmen drawing on blank chequebooks, the arms industries’ lobbyists exert enormous influence on government policy. If there are no wars, no threats; imaginary or otherwise, the arms and surveillance manufacturers find themselves in deep trouble. It is in their interests to continually exaggerate or fake threats just as double-glazing salesmen overstress fault in near-perfect windows. Mainstream media news desks receive a constant stream of ‘cry wolf’ misinformation spewed out by the Press Departments of arms conglomerates.
British journalist Barry White participated in a tour covering the European arms industry lobby in Brussels. In that one city alone, more than 20,000 lobbyists seek to influence the European Union’s institutions. Most of them operate from offices situated in the four square kilometres surrounding the European Union’s Commission and parliament.
An impressive 70 percent of these pushy-pushy lobbyists are employed by corporate giants; the rest by Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) or by self-interest organisations such as trade unions. Former EU Commissioner, Marian Fischer Boel described Brussels as a lobbying paradise; it is equal only to the power of America’s lobbyists.
The European arms industry lobby is phenomenal in the influence it wields. One might wonder why this should be so as the European Union is thought to be mainly dependent upon NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is 70 percent financed and weaponised by the United States. It is because the recent adoption of the Lisbon Treaty replaced the obsolete EU Constitution. Since then, there has been a European initiative to become less reliant on NATO, which has hitherto fuelled the European arms industry lobby. According to Barry White, the arms industry seized the moment.
Following the dissolution of its constitution, the EU has become an independent military alliance with an infrastructure for civil-military interventions. It has its own armaments agency. Governments, through banking and arms industry lobbyists, are under continual pressure to prepare or engage in conflict.
This explains why the electorate, who fondly believe their votes influence governments, are confused as to why their parliamentarians wage wars that their constituents are resolutely opposed to. As with the banking cartels, the voters are powerless; they are up against dominant well-financed lobbying forces actively influencing government decisions. Simply put: Lobbyists are more successful at persuading politicians than are voters.
The electorate exercises their powers of persuasion one day every five years; the lobbyists do it every single day. One can presume that key decision-makers in government; elected or otherwise, receive many Christmas cards from their arms industry lobbyists. One can only wonder if their messages convey ‘peace on earth to all men.’
The European arms industry, like big pharma and banking cartels, uses a myriad of strategies to penetrate decision-making institutions. Using a system known in political circles as ‘entryism’ they sit on advisory groups, and become members of think tanks. They are slipped on to various advisory and expert groups from where they influence budget decisions and political strategy. In a word, they cosy up to a government’s key decision makers. An important part of their spiel is to invent internal and external threats, for without such, there would be no need for defence.
Politicians are not renowned for their ethics or their intellectual gifts: Many are unclear about brown envelopes and other forms of corruption. Often from modest backgrounds, many, on accessing the portals of power are overwhelmed by flattery, free lunches, riches and a gravy train lifestyle undreamed of. They are a pushover for experienced hard-headed well paid arms industry lobbyists.
Was it ever otherwise? On October 3, 1938, four days before the signing of the Munich Peace Agreement, the novelist and wife of British Member of Parliament, General Sir. Edward Spears bitterly complained: ‘Poor Edward. Now there’s bound to be a general election, and we are now faced with the prospect of losing £2,000 a year from the Czechs. Can you believe it; and his seat in parliament?’
In the Czech files (Boston University, Massachusetts) were found records of a telephone call from the pro-war Prague-based Czech Ambassador, Jan Masaryk made in September 1938. This recorded a conversation: ‘Mr Churchill is asking for more. Mr Atlee is asking for more as well!’
These Czech files revealed that £2 million had already been sent from Prague to London in July 1938 for payments made to influential pro-war opposition Conservative MPs. These included Mr Churchill, Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan; all became prime ministers.
The big four arms makers in Europe are BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, Finmeccanica, EADS and Thales. As with the banking industry, there is little effective regulation of these corporate giants. Indeed, many are inextricably linked to government ministers, parliamentarians, infiltrated lobbyists and government personnel in key decision-making positions.
As a consequence, much equipment is bought without there being a need for it. In the meantime, service personnel on the frontline are denied appropriate arms and equipment. If it were otherwise then replacement solutions would not be needed. If that were to happen then the only ones doing the dying would be those employed in the arms industry.
About the Author
Michael Walsh
Michael Walsh is the author of over 70 published book titles. He has also ghost-written (book edited) over 40 books, novels and biographies for writer clients. He offers professional help for writers: editing of website content, books, novels and marketing content. You write it HE rights it.
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