this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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A Boring Dystopia

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They aren't being bought. It's being freely given. All profits go to weapons manufacturers.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Using "freely given" and "profits" in the same sentence should've set alarms as to how the issue might be more complex than just who buys what from who.

You are wrong and a simple research into the subject reveals how.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The bread and butter of the US Military Industrial Complex is selling weapons/platforms/systems to other governments. Yes, US contractors can't just directly sell weapons/etc to other countries (without express permission/case by case basis).

What the person you replied to said is accurate: The US is giving these weapons to Ukraine "for free" (i.e. nothing is ever truly free, Ukraine will end up paying for it one way or another if they come out victorious in the end). However, the DoD is still paying the defense contractors who manufacturer these weapons (unless it's ammunition and certain types of munitions, which the DoD actually makes themselves).

Regardless, I agree that it is a bit complex, but not that complex. The US Military Industrial Complex is well documented and proven, not sure why you're acting like the US being the world's largest arms dealer isn't what it is.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

jfc i was hoping you weren't gonna choose to be an idiotic pedant but here we are.

the us government signs incredibly expensive contracts with weapons manufacturers. aka "buys weapons." then gives those weapons to its allies. https://www.vox.com/world/2022/12/16/23507640/dc-party-invite-military-contractors-money-ukraine-russia-war-us

wtf do you think these votes in the senate about giving military aid mean? the idea that paying defense contractors to replenish our arsenal is somehow funding local infrastructure is utterly deranged.

edit, to be clear, im not saying that supplying our allies is wrong (well, at this point it might be wrong in israel's case. certainly not in ukraine's though). I'm just saying that your earlier statement about the wars making money for the US is wrong. Some US companies are making money, but only because it's being spent by the US government. Not a positive for the rest of us.