Letters to the Editor: Eisenhower warned us about the military-industrial complex. Did we listen?
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To the editor: The question of why we’re spending billions for arms marks a defining issue over what our country actually is (“Billions for weapons, rather than troops, won’t make us safer,” July 22). The United States is currently the supplier of 43% of the military weapons sold around the world. Weapons manufacturing is a core part of our economy. For that to happen, we need customers both in and outside of the U.S. to pay for our product. We have deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel, NATO allies and, of course, Ukraine. The list of our customers is vast.
In his farewell speech in 1961, President Eisenhower warned us about the rise of the military-industrial complex. While he certainly supported having a “mighty” military establishment for our own defense, he entreated us to not let a large arms industry endanger our liberties or democratic processes. Can we admit we did not heed his warning?
Erica Hahn, Monrovia
