While religion, nationalism, ethnicity and history play key roles in any armed conflict, the one variable that often receives a short shrift is the economic angle. Simply put, war is good for business. While there is no question that many in the population and certain industries suffer, other individuals and industries profit mightily from ongoing military endeavors.
Too often, I fear, those individuals and industries profiting from the war apparatus aren't genuinely interested in the cessation of armed conflict. To be sure, they are more than willing to mouth words like "justice" and "peace", but under the surface, they do everything possible not to bring such things to fruition.
Several years ago, when the Brits and Northern Ireland were at each others throats, it seemed that every time peace appeared possible, one side would do something to provoke the other and, whatever possibility for peace that existed, quickly evaporated.
I was thinking about this general topic in relation to the current slaughter in Gaza. Israel, behaving like a big bully, is allowed to commit these heinous acts because of the money trail. I've read various estimates of $3 - $5 billion per year that Israel receives each year from the good 'ol US of A.
If we had a US administration with any backbone, they would tell Israel that, if they keep repressing and beating up on their neighbors, that the flow of cash would cease altogether or that for every military incursion x amount of dollars would be subtracted from the overall aid package.
Since the Israeli army is propped up by US funds, this would provide the Israeli government with a clear reason of economic self-interest to dash to the peace table post haste.
Of course, one of the chief reasons our elected officials don't have this kind of a backbone is because of their own issue of economic self-interest. The Democrats, particularly, rely on massive amounts of campaign contributions from wealthy American Jews and Jewish organizations. Consequently, to keep the money flowing into their coffers, they must keep American tax dollars flowing into the Israeli coffer.
If we could somehow remove the financial variable from the equation, then I think we would have a far more peaceful world.
Too often, I fear, those individuals and industries profiting from the war apparatus aren't genuinely interested in the cessation of armed conflict. To be sure, they are more than willing to mouth words like "justice" and "peace", but under the surface, they do everything possible not to bring such things to fruition.
Several years ago, when the Brits and Northern Ireland were at each others throats, it seemed that every time peace appeared possible, one side would do something to provoke the other and, whatever possibility for peace that existed, quickly evaporated.
I was thinking about this general topic in relation to the current slaughter in Gaza. Israel, behaving like a big bully, is allowed to commit these heinous acts because of the money trail. I've read various estimates of $3 - $5 billion per year that Israel receives each year from the good 'ol US of A.
If we had a US administration with any backbone, they would tell Israel that, if they keep repressing and beating up on their neighbors, that the flow of cash would cease altogether or that for every military incursion x amount of dollars would be subtracted from the overall aid package.
Since the Israeli army is propped up by US funds, this would provide the Israeli government with a clear reason of economic self-interest to dash to the peace table post haste.
Of course, one of the chief reasons our elected officials don't have this kind of a backbone is because of their own issue of economic self-interest. The Democrats, particularly, rely on massive amounts of campaign contributions from wealthy American Jews and Jewish organizations. Consequently, to keep the money flowing into their coffers, they must keep American tax dollars flowing into the Israeli coffer.
If we could somehow remove the financial variable from the equation, then I think we would have a far more peaceful world.
Just like us, Israel needs an enemy to justify its military spending. If it really made peace with its neighbors, how could the Israelis maintain their victim personality, and what would they find to extort the U.S. for? Nothing could replace the billions we spend for their defense from all the enemies they create...
ReplyDelete"If we had a US administration with any backbone..."
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
No, really, they have been shown to have a great backbone when their money is at risk. Best to be fair.
Donna: How so very true!!
ReplyDeleteASpieboy: I'm glad I could bring a bit of humor into your day. :-D