The U.S. as No. 1 World Armorer

President Eisenhower led us to victory in World War II, and then warned us to guard against falling prey to demands of the “military-industrial complex.” Under President Bush, U.S. arms sales more than doubled last year; the nation is now the world’s top arms supplier (Part A, Aug. 12). It is very doubtful that these sales were even a minor factor in the brilliant military planning and execution of Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf and his excellent staff in the Persian Gulf War.

And yet the Administration is already planning to sell billions of dollars more of our weapons production. Certainly a major reason for these weapons sales is the support of our own military-industrial complex, to maintain its wartime levels of production and profits.

Does President Bush, the leader of the peaceful “new world order,” feel the victory over Iraq has made this policy possible?

MORRIS MUSKAT

Pasadena