Fang writes: "The Escalating Anti-Russian rhetoric in the U.S. presidential
campaign comes in the midst of a major push by military contractors to
position Moscow as a potent enemy that must be countered with a drastic
increase in military spending by NATO countries."
A weapons fair. (photo: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
US Defense Contractors Tell Investors Russian Threat Is Great for Business
By Lee Fang, The Intercept
21 August 16
The escalating anti-Russian rhetoric in the U.S. presidential campaign
comes in the midst of a major push by military contractors to position
Moscow as a potent enemy that must be countered with a drastic increase in
military spending by NATO countries.
Weapon makers have told investors that they are relying on tensions with
Russia to fuel new business in the wake of Russian's annexation of Crimea
and modest increases in its military budget.
In particular, the arms industry - both directly and through its arsenal of
hired-gun, think-tank experts and lobbyists - is actively pressuring NATO
member nations to hike defense spending in line with the NATO goal for
member states to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on
defense.
Retired Army Gen. Richard Cody, a vice president at L-3 Communications, the
seventh largest U.S. defense contractor, explained to shareholders in
December that the industry was faced with a historic opportunity. Following
the end of the Cold War, Cody said, peace had "pretty much broken out all
over the world," with Russia in decline and NATO nations celebrating. "The
Wall came down," he said, and "all defense budgets went south."
Now, Cody argued, Russia "is resurgent" around the world, putting pressure
on U.S. allies. "Nations that belong to NATO are supposed to spend 2 percent
of their GDP on defense," he said, according to a transcript of his remarks.
"We know that uptick is coming and so we postured ourselves for it."
Speaking to investors at a conference hosted by Credit Suisse in June,
Stuart Bradie, the chief executive of KBR, a military contractor, discussed
"opportunities in Europe," highlighting the increase in defense spending by
NATO countries in response to "what's happening with Russia and the
Ukraine."
The National Defense Industrial Association, a lobby group for the industry,
has called on Congress to make it easier for U.S. contractors to sell arms
abroad to allies in response to the threat from Russia. Recent articles in
National Defense, NDIA's magazine, discuss the need for NATO allies to boost
maritime military spending, spending on Arctic systems, and missile defense,
to counter Russia.
Many experts are unconvinced that Russia poses a direct military threat. The
Soviet Union's military once stood at over 4 million soldiers, but today
Russia has less than 1 million. NATO's combined military budget vastly
outranks Russia's - with the U.S. alone outspending Russia on its military
by $609 billion to less than $85 billion.
And yet, the Aerospace Industries Association, a lobby group for Lockheed
Martin, Textron, Raytheon, and other defense contractors, argued in February
that the Pentagon is not spending enough to counter "Russian aggression on
NATO's doorstep."
Think tanks with major funding from defense contractors, including the
Lexington Institute and the Atlantic Council, have similarly demanded higher
defense spending to counter Russia.
Stephen Hadley, the former National Security Advisor to President George W.
Bush now serving on the board of Raytheon, a firm competing for major NATO
military contracts, has argued forcefully for hiking defense budgets and
providing lethal aid to Ukraine. Hadley said in a speech last summer that
the U.S. must "raise the cost for what Russia is doing in Ukraine," adding
that "even President Putin is sensitive to body bags."
The business press has noticed the development. The Washington Business
Journal noted that "if anyone is benefiting from the unease between Russia
and the rest of the world, it would have to be Bethesda-based Lockheed
Martin Corp," noting that the firm won a major contract from Poland, which
is revamping its military in response to Russia. Roman Schweizer, an analyst
for the defense industry with Guggenheim Securities, predicted last year
that U.S. arms sales would continue to rise, particularly because "eastern
NATO countries will increase procurements in the wake of continued Russian
activity in Ukraine."
At the Defence Security Exposition International, an arms dealer conference
held in London last fall, contractors were quick to use Russia and rising
defense budgets to hawk their products. "The tank threat is . much, much
more closer to you today because Putin is doing something" in eastern
Ukraine, a shoulder-fired-rocket touting representative from Saab told
Defense One.
"Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing have pledged to increase the
share of exports in their overall revenues, and they have been seeking major
deals in East and Central Europe since the 1990s, when NATO expansion
began," said William Hartung, director of the Arms & Security Project at the
Center for International Policy. Hartung noted that as some nations ramp up
spending, U.S. firms will be "knocking at the door, looking to sell
everything from fighter planes to missile defense systems."
"Russian saber-rattling has additional benefits for weapons makers because
it has become a standard part of the argument for higher Pentagon spending -
even though the Pentagon already has more than enough money to address any
actual threat to the United States," he said.
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A weapons fair. (photo: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
https://theintercept.com/2016/08/19/nato-weapons-industry/https://theinterce
pt.com/2016/08/19/nato-weapons-industry/
US Defense Contractors Tell Investors Russian Threat Is Great for Business
By Lee Fang, The Intercept
21 August 16
he escalating anti-Russian rhetoric in the U.S. presidential campaign comes
in the midst of a major push by military contractors to position Moscow as a
potent enemy that must be countered with a drastic increase in military
spending by NATO countries.
Weapon makers have told investors that they are relying on tensions with
Russia to fuel new business in the wake of Russian's annexation of Crimea
and modest increases in its military budget.
In particular, the arms industry - both directly and through its arsenal of
hired-gun, think-tank experts and lobbyists - is actively pressuring NATO
member nations to hike defense spending in line with the NATO goal for
member states to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on
defense.
Retired Army Gen. Richard Cody, a vice president at L-3 Communications, the
seventh largest U.S. defense contractor, explained to shareholders in
December that the industry was faced with a historic opportunity. Following
the end of the Cold War, Cody said, peace had "pretty much broken out all
over the world," with Russia in decline and NATO nations celebrating. "The
Wall came down," he said, and "all defense budgets went south."
Now, Cody argued, Russia "is resurgent" around the world, putting pressure
on U.S. allies. "Nations that belong to NATO are supposed to spend 2 percent
of their GDP on defense," he said, according to a transcript of his remarks.
"We know that uptick is coming and so we postured ourselves for it."
Speaking to investors at a conference hosted by Credit Suisse in June,
Stuart Bradie, the chief executive of KBR, a military contractor, discussed
"opportunities in Europe," highlighting the increase in defense spending by
NATO countries in response to "what's happening with Russia and the
Ukraine."
The National Defense Industrial Association, a lobby group for the industry,
has called on Congress to make it easier for U.S. contractors to sell arms
abroad to allies in response to the threat from Russia. Recent articles in
National Defense, NDIA's magazine, discuss the need for NATO allies to boost
maritime military spending, spending on Arctic systems, and missile defense,
to counter Russia.
Many experts are unconvinced that Russia poses a direct military threat. The
Soviet Union's military once stood at over 4 million soldiers, but today
Russia has less than 1 million. NATO's combined military budget vastly
outranks Russia's - with the U.S. alone outspending Russia on its military
by $609 billion to less than $85 billion.
And yet, the Aerospace Industries Association, a lobby group for Lockheed
Martin, Textron, Raytheon, and other defense contractors, argued in February
that the Pentagon is not spending enough to counter "Russian aggression on
NATO's doorstep."
Think tanks with major funding from defense contractors, including the
Lexington Institute and the Atlantic Council, have similarly demanded higher
defense spending to counter Russia.
Stephen Hadley, the former National Security Advisor to President George W.
Bush now serving on the board of Raytheon, a firm competing for major NATO
military contracts, has argued forcefully for hiking defense budgets and
providing lethal aid to Ukraine. Hadley said in a speech last summer that
the U.S. must "raise the cost for what Russia is doing in Ukraine," adding
that "even President Putin is sensitive to body bags."
The business press has noticed the development. The Washington Business
Journal noted that "if anyone is benefiting from the unease between Russia
and the rest of the world, it would have to be Bethesda-based Lockheed
Martin Corp," noting that the firm won a major contract from Poland, which
is revamping its military in response to Russia. Roman Schweizer, an analyst
for the defense industry with Guggenheim Securities, predicted last year
that U.S. arms sales would continue to rise, particularly because "eastern
NATO countries will increase procurements in the wake of continued Russian
activity in Ukraine."
At the Defence Security Exposition International, an arms dealer conference
held in London last fall, contractors were quick to use Russia and rising
defense budgets to hawk their products. "The tank threat is . much, much
more closer to you today because Putin is doing something" in eastern
Ukraine, a shoulder-fired-rocket touting representative from Saab told
Defense One.
"Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing have pledged to increase the
share of exports in their overall revenues, and they have been seeking major
deals in East and Central Europe since the 1990s, when NATO expansion
began," said William Hartung, director of the Arms & Security Project at the
Center for International Policy. Hartung noted that as some nations ramp up
spending, U.S. firms will be "knocking at the door, looking to sell
everything from fighter planes to missile defense systems."
"Russian saber-rattling has additional benefits for weapons makers because
it has become a standard part of the argument for higher Pentagon spending -
even though the Pentagon already has more than enough money to address any
actual threat to the United States," he said.
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http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
