Middleboro Review 2: War in Ukraine means dollar signs in war CEO's eyes

Sunday, March 13, 2022

War in Ukraine means dollar signs in war CEO's eyes

Families are struggling to buy food, clothing, and gas as inflation skyrockets.

You know who’s not sweating? Weapons contractors — in fact, they’re seeing dollar signs.

Congress just approved an astronomically high, three-quarters of a TRILLION dollar Pentagon budget. Some have suggested that Russia’s devastating war in Ukraine justifies the big spend, but little of that funding is going to help Ukraine fight Russia in the coming weeks and months.

A huge chunk is for “procurement” — building new ships like the Arleigh Burke class destroyer and the failed F-35 fighter jets— things that take YEARS to build.

The kicker? It’s BILLIONS of dollars for weapons the Pentagon didn’t even ask for. You know who did? Weapons contractors and their lobbyists. And they’re about to get paid.

But not if we have anything to say about it. Few organizations are up to challenging the enormous influence of mega weapons corporations and their lobbyists, but it's EXACTLY what Win Without War is built to do. We refuse to let 2022 be yet another year where Lockheed Martin can build more fighter jets while families go hungry — and we need your help.

This work depends on grassroots activism and grassroots donations. If it’s in your budget, can you donate $15 to help use every tool we’ve got to block the bloated Pentagon budget? Together, we’ll upend the status quo and cut the cozy, corrupt ties that keep the profits flowing to weapons dealers.

This week, Congress approved $783 BILLION for the Pentagon — $25 billion more than they even asked for. (And just in case you’re keeping score, Russia's entire annual military budget is about $62 billion). It’s an incredible amount, especially with President Biden’s assurances that U.S. troops won’t be sent to fight the Russians in Ukraine.

Q: If we’re not funding troops, what are these billions even paying for? A: U.S.-made weapons and warships.

That means lucrative, billion-dollar contracts for the folks at Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics, and the like. And it’s by design: these companies have staffed themselves with former DOD officials, put HUNDREDS of registered lobbyists on their payroll, and spent more than $100 MILLION on lobbying each year for the last decade.

It’s corruption, plain and simple. Because here’s the thing, as our friends at the Project on Government Oversight recently pointed out: a $725 billion budget didn’t make us any safer in 2021. So how will $783 billion this year?

It won’t. The fact remains that you cannot bomb your way to peace.

But as millions of families struggle and go hungry worldwide, the war industry’s power over Congress ensures that we maintain weapons systems. Win Without War is determined to make this the year that we turn that around — and if you can afford to make a donation today, we need your help.

Pushing back on a multi-billion dollar industry is a massive uphill challenge, but we’re more determined than ever. A donation of just $15 can make an enormous difference as we use every tool we’ve got to cut the bloated Pentagon budget and END the corrupt weapons contractor handouts.

Thank you for working for peace,

Sara, Amisha, Amy, and the Win Without War team