The froth being stirred is about "profits" and how conjuring fears of boogeymen at your front door will allow those who profit to once again pull a fast one on the American people. Or at least try to.
One way to slow the process is by shinning the light on those that profit the most from wars. Not only the companies but also the heavy hitting investors; especially those in politics; putting aside the "blind trust BS" and calling it what it is.
Another way to reduce wars is simply to flat tax all Military Industrial Complex profits 100% and then let's see how much saber rattling goes on.
The SIPRI Top 100 arms-producing and military services companies in the world 2012
Global military spending was down in 2012 for the first time since 1998. And for the second year in a row, arms sales from private industry to governments were down as well.
Despite the decline in military spending, the business of war remains a good one. The 100 largest arms producers and military services contractors recorded $395 billion in arms sales in 2012. Lockheed Martin, the largest arms seller, alone accounted for $36 billion in such sales during 2012. Based on figures compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), 24/7 Wall St. examined the 10 companies profiting most from war.
The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan is among the biggest reasons for the drop in military spending, according to SIPRI. Spending on these campaigns fell from $159 billion to $115 billion between 2011 and 2012.
Austerity also contributed to cuts in military spending. Budget control measures were responsible for a $15 billion reduction in U.S. military expenditures in 2012. Belt-tightening in Europe also had an impact on arms sales. In 20 of the 37 countries in Western and Central Europe, military spending declined by more than 10% between 2008 and 2012.
Read more at $395 billion global 2012 arms sales: US dominates list of top 10 global arms sellers.
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