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In reply to the discussion: Why the hell didn't anyone heed Eisenhower's warning about the Military Industrial Complex? [View all]Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)21. This is pretty nonsensical and bears no relation whatever to the historical JFK
the speech he gave in Fort Worth, Texas, on the morning of 22 November, 1963:
In the past 3 years we have increased the defense budget of the United States by over 20 percent; increased the program of acquisition for Polaris submarines from 24 to 41; increased our Minuteman missile purchase program by more than 75 percent; doubled the number of strategic bombers and missiles on alert; doubled the number of nuclear weapons available in the strategic alert forces; increased the tactical nuclear forces deployed in Western Europe by over 60 percent; added five combat ready divisions to the Army of the United States, and five tactical fighter wings to the Air Force of the United States; increased our strategic airlift capability by 75 percent; and increased our special counterinsurgency forces which are engaged now in South Viet-Nam by 600 percent.
And JFK interview with David Brinkley of ABC News on 9 September 1963:
Mr. BRINKLEY. Mr. President, have you had any reason to doubt this so-called "domino theory," that if South Viet-Nam falls, the rest of Southeast Asia will go behind it?
The PRESIDENT. No, I believe it. I believe it. I think that the struggle is close enough. China is so large, looms so high just beyond the frontiers, that if South Viet-Nam went, it would not only give them an improved geographic position for a guerrilla assault on Malaya but would also give the impression that the wave of the future in Southeast Asia was China and the Communists. So I believe it.
The PRESIDENT. No, I believe it. I believe it. I think that the struggle is close enough. China is so large, looms so high just beyond the frontiers, that if South Viet-Nam went, it would not only give them an improved geographic position for a guerrilla assault on Malaya but would also give the impression that the wave of the future in Southeast Asia was China and the Communists. So I believe it.
JFK was an ideologically committed anti-Communist who was a friend and supporter of Tailgunner Joe McCarthy, even after the latter's disgrace, and a hard-line Cold War hawk. There's nothing in his words or actions to suggest he'd any intention of "ending the military-industrail complex".
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Why the hell didn't anyone heed Eisenhower's warning about the Military Industrial Complex? [View all]
FlaGatorJD
Apr 2012
OP
politicians are "paid" to promote and increase the power of the MIC. end of discussion nt
msongs
Apr 2012
#1
Like most JFK conspiracy theorists, you fail to link any of this to the actual assassination
RZM
Apr 2012
#9
James Douglass does all the linking necessary in his exhaustively researched book.
Peace Patriot
Apr 2012
#22
This is pretty nonsensical and bears no relation whatever to the historical JFK
Spider Jerusalem
Apr 2012
#21
Why in the world do we have almost 3 million active and reserve troops.
Laura PourMeADrink
Apr 2012
#6
Hard to teach a politician when a politician's cash depends on him not learning anything.
Selatius
Apr 2012
#8
I also believe that ending private campaign money is necessary to make any considerable changes
FlaGatorJD
Apr 2012
#14
The corporatocracy didn't see it as a warning - they saw it as a business opportunity.
baldguy
Apr 2012
#12
What about Eisenhower's own involvement with the coups in Guatemala and Iran?
DutchLiberal
Apr 2012
#24