Agents of Death: The Perks and Dangers of America’s Military Industrial Complex

Dwight D. Eisenhower was among the most crucial figures during World War II. He led the Americans in North Africa and Europe, including D-Day’s Normandy Invasion. He was our sitting president during the Korean War and remains as one of America’s most decorated generals. So, it begs the question, why did Dwight D. Eisenhower warn against the military industrial complex in his farewell speech at the end of his presidency?

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” Dwight D. Eisenhower in his 1961 Farewell Speech

It is safe to say that even since the days of the Spanish-American War at the turn of the 20th century, the United States has effectively been in a perpetual state of war. World War I preceded World War II and led to the Cold War, which included conflicts in Korea and Vietnam. But, America’s familiarity with war didn’t end with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The instability of the Middle East, one of the most resource rich regions in the world, has pulled America once more into conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, and Syria.

Today, the United States is the only country in the world that can wage war anywhere in the world and respond to conflicts within hours, sometimes even minutes. America has effectively become a kind of Roman Empire of the modern world. All this to say it has become necessary for America to sustain a permanent arms industry to maintain its unique position as a global superpower. How do you get Americans to invest in the business of conducting war? Profits. The current system in place for our military begins with the Pentagon. Every year, a portion of the military’s old equipment is sold and a portion of new equipment is purchased in turn. This ensures that our military remains up to date but in order to accomplish this task efficiently, the Pentagon must identify what our military needs the most. Once it does, it turns to defense contractors and hires them to fulfill these needs. These private companies include Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin among others and they are the best in the world at what they do; providing the weapons that win wars.

Through these companies, the United States have accomplished feats usually reserved for sci-fi movies. The world’s first laser weapons, stealth suits, space missiles, and cutting edge AI programs that can calculate battle plans and identify enemy positions faster than the blink of an eye. Much of this technology remains shrouded behind classified files but what little we do know offers us a glimpse into what warfare will look like for America in the coming decades.

These innovations do come with benefits. After all, the GPS was a result of military research. What’s to say these breakthroughs won’t find use in the everyday lives of civilians? It has to be said that America’s unparalleled military strength is the reason there are less wars today than ever before. In 2020, the University of Oxford tallied 56 armed conflicts. Three of those conflicts were between two countries. The other 53 were civil conflicts and less than half involved a foreign power like the US or Russia. The reason for that is due to American military presence. 

Make no mistake, the US walks a very fine line with its defense industry. All the benefits that come with being the world’s most powerful military does not come without risks. Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin are in the business for one reason: money. With the US practically funding the Ukrainian war effort and tensions with China looming in the Pacific, war has become a ridiculously lucrative business. To these companies, it matters not the lives that are lost, but the price of the bullets fired and the bombs dropped. The last thing anyone wants is to see any of these companies turning that money back towards DC. As Eisenhower warned, any unnecessary influence given to the military industrial complex only fuels their hunger and incentivizes US involvement in conflicts that may or may not necessitate our intervention. We would risk appearing as an overbearing big brother at best and as a bully who likes throwing his weight around at worst. While we maintain a heavy military presence around the world, that is largely due to the generosity of our allies. If the rest of the world decides they do not like the US, then they will certainly kick us out.

All this goes without saying that war itself is a tragedy. It is a grueling affair that tears families apart, displaces countless innocent civilians, and produces innumerable atrocities of unquestionable evil. It is twisted to live in a world where the deadliest weapons are brandished for the goal of keeping peace but it is the world we live in. We can only hope that the creation of these instruments of death will never need to play their tune.

Andres Pena is a Pinecrest resident and graduate of New York University with degrees in both English and American Literature and Political Science. He works for Miami’s Community News as both a writer and administrative assistant. For more inquiries on US and Global News, contact andres@communitynewspapers.com or call 305-951-6726.

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