Posted on Jan 15, 2016
The Real Point Of Eisenhower’s Warning About The Military-Industrial Complex
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RP Members did we pay attention?
Eisenhower’s dual warning holds as true today as it did in 1961.
Sunday, Jan. 17, will mark the 55th anniversary of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s famous “military-industrial complex” speech. His key warning, “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex” is what most people recall of this speech. It was taken to be a harbinger of the things that followed: the Vietnam War, massive defense spending, and increased American military involvement around the world.
But was that really the point that Eisenhower was trying to get across in his farewell address? In many ways, his address was a warning to the American people that is as timely now as it was then: The world is entering an era of persistent conflict and America must be prepared to accept that, as well as the costs of being a leader in the world community. It also must be ready and guarded to take on the dangers and pitfalls that are the flipside to having a large, modernized, and ever-developing military.
Eisenhower was at the end of his presidency. He could look back across a long career that encompassed military service in World War I (stateside), the post-war military cuts, service as Supreme Allied Commander in World War II, and as president from 1953–1961. The world had changed much in his time, but Eisenhower believed that America’s role in the world had not.
Eisenhower’s dual warning holds as true today as it did in 1961.
Sunday, Jan. 17, will mark the 55th anniversary of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s famous “military-industrial complex” speech. His key warning, “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex” is what most people recall of this speech. It was taken to be a harbinger of the things that followed: the Vietnam War, massive defense spending, and increased American military involvement around the world.
But was that really the point that Eisenhower was trying to get across in his farewell address? In many ways, his address was a warning to the American people that is as timely now as it was then: The world is entering an era of persistent conflict and America must be prepared to accept that, as well as the costs of being a leader in the world community. It also must be ready and guarded to take on the dangers and pitfalls that are the flipside to having a large, modernized, and ever-developing military.
Eisenhower was at the end of his presidency. He could look back across a long career that encompassed military service in World War I (stateside), the post-war military cuts, service as Supreme Allied Commander in World War II, and as president from 1953–1961. The world had changed much in his time, but Eisenhower believed that America’s role in the world had not.
The Real Point Of Eisenhower’s Warning About The Military-Industrial Complex
Posted from taskandpurpose.com
Military History
Office of the President (POTUS)
American History
Posted 10 y ago
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Too bad he never talked about the 'government and the dependents it creates' complex.
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Still got my Dads 'I like Ike" button. Wise man. I do not know what, except for a major fiscal collapse, could untangle the Gordian knot at this point. There is SOOOOO much money and power invested in the circular motion of senior officers to boards of directors to the House and Senate......even those who are not 'in the loop' too often depend on those with the loop to obtain office. As Ben Shapiro was told by a now sitting Supreme Court Justice as he entered Edvard - "Relax, you've made it, you will be the next rulers of this nation, the competition is over'......and she meant it....
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs I remember well that the “military-industrial complex” was a bogeyman during the Vietnam War protests and even was included in heavy metal music of the time by groups such as Black Sabbath. The left has long been loudly proclaiming how evil the “military-industrial complex” with VP Cheney's links to Halliburton considered to be incredibly sinister.
Liberals tend to be drawn to attack abstract strawmen figures because it is much easier to be united against an unknown group than people you actually have come to know.
Certainly there are evil people in military industrial companies, banks, insurance companies, the chemical and petroleum industries and the military itself; however, there are also evil people in non-profits, liberal think tanks, eco-friendly companies, judge's chambers, newspaper reporters and protest movements of all types.
THis nation was ill-prepared for WWII and Vietnam for that matter and certainly for the events of 9/11/2001. We typically had been preparing to fight the last war in times past. The "military industrial complex" includes many companies that design and build for peaceful as well as wartime uses. There are some very bright people in that cluster who have developed improved prosthetics which enable people to walk and move who could never have done that a decade ago. We have advocates who have managed to keep the reliable A-10 warthog alive as a sustainable program as the much more pricier models of aircraft are examined on their own merits.
We have cash cows in HHS as well as DoD. Wisdom for our leaders in the military and civil agencies and elected leaders is critical. We need to stop creating bogeymen and start working together for the future.
Liberals tend to be drawn to attack abstract strawmen figures because it is much easier to be united against an unknown group than people you actually have come to know.
Certainly there are evil people in military industrial companies, banks, insurance companies, the chemical and petroleum industries and the military itself; however, there are also evil people in non-profits, liberal think tanks, eco-friendly companies, judge's chambers, newspaper reporters and protest movements of all types.
THis nation was ill-prepared for WWII and Vietnam for that matter and certainly for the events of 9/11/2001. We typically had been preparing to fight the last war in times past. The "military industrial complex" includes many companies that design and build for peaceful as well as wartime uses. There are some very bright people in that cluster who have developed improved prosthetics which enable people to walk and move who could never have done that a decade ago. We have advocates who have managed to keep the reliable A-10 warthog alive as a sustainable program as the much more pricier models of aircraft are examined on their own merits.
We have cash cows in HHS as well as DoD. Wisdom for our leaders in the military and civil agencies and elected leaders is critical. We need to stop creating bogeymen and start working together for the future.
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