December 10, 2005, More Geopolitics for Dummies
Another visit to Pravda, another opportunity to ask an obvious question, this time against the backdrop of this report on rapidly improving relations between India and Russia: since defense trading is so damned critical to countries like Russia, and its desire to make money is what is driving it to sell weaponry to problem-children nations like Iran... and we spend so damned much on our own defense... why don't we simply buy enough of our defense needs from Russia (or others who might sell to Iran), taking away their incentive to do so...?
We know the answers: (1) the people who run our government are stupid and greedy, and (2) Russian arms makers haven't set up a sweetheart network of revolving door jobs available to ex-Pentagon officials and K-Street lobbyists to make sure they get "their fair share" of business (and that the relevant people get "their fair share" of kickbacks and bribes.)
The results, of course, are that we will have a harder and harder time keeping Iran from ultimately acquiring nuclear weapons, weapons that its current psychopathic Neanderthal elected President intimates that it intends to use on you know know (who, of course, will retaliate in kind.) Oh... also weapons it might funnel to its terrorist friends like A.Q.... who would then use them, possibly, on you know who... only there wouldn't necessarily be a return address...
Comments
It might be that their stuff isn't good enough quality - or not what we need?
Or are you advocating we just buy it and destroy it?
Posted by Kathy K at December 18, 2005 10:30 AM
That is precisely what I am advocating. Since, my guess is that a direct subsidy of Russia would be politically untenable, I'm suggesting we treat this as one of those farm-subsidy type programs, where we pay the farmers to grow things and then plow them under to keep them off of the market. (Unless, of course, it's really good stuff, in which case we can either use it ourselves or provide it to our allies as part of our military aid programs.) The Pentagon wastes more money in a given month than it would cost to buy all of Russia's military output.
This would be a fraction of what it cost in treasure (not to mention a huge savings in blood) to have to fight countries like Iran if they get their hands on formidable Russian munitions, or God help us, get Russian help to make nukes.
Posted by the talking dog at December 18, 2005 10:22 PM