US defense industry frets about high Iraq spending

[ECH1969]

A surprising group of protesters is starting to voice concerns about the high level of spending on the U.S. occupation of Iraq: the defense industry. Some defense firms and industry experts are concerned that money spent on Iraq is taking away from more lucrative, longer-term multibillion-dollar programs.

The United States needs to scale down involvement in Iraq and pare back its uniformed forces to keep the large, so-called "transformational" programs on track, according to L-3's Lanza, founder of the Pentagon's ninth-largest supplier.

If high Iraq costs persist, large programs like the Army's Future Combat Systems modernization plan, led by Boeing Co., and Lockheed Martin Corp.'s state-of-the-art Joint Strike Fighter jet, are likely to be scaled back or stretched out, industry analysts said.

"No one was told that there was a choice between Iraq and recapitalizing the nation's military," said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at Teal Group, which advises defense and aerospace companies.

http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-02-06T231752Z_01_N06282462_RTRUKOC_0_US-ARMS-IRAQ.xml

[htuttle]

1. So, they basically just want higher profit, pie-in-the-sky R&D contracts..

...instead of the relatively low profit they get when they actually have to make things that are supposed to work?

Guess I don't blame them. I'd love to make billions without having to actually produce anything that works.

[ewoden]

2. Oooooooh Me like -

Haliburton makey too damn much dollar for the big boys to feel happy. Watch out Boeing! Watch out Lockheed Martin! Haliburton most favored son right now. Haliburton say kiss the monkey ass Boeing. Please to be Lockheed Martin turning off light and don't let screen door hit loers on most ample butt on way out.

[DELUSIONAL]

4. Don't forget -- General Dynamics (G.D.)

[Vincardog]

3. Bushler has stolen so much his croneys are starting to feel the pinch. HA

FA FUCKING HA

[seasat]

5. Oh geez, cry me a river you corporate jerks.

Here is defense research spending (LINK) and now here is other research spending (LINK). When you realize that the majority of the basic research (non DHS or NIH) spending under Shrub Inc is for NASA, Shrub Inc has managed to gut the one major advantage the US had over the rest of the world. They are killing off our basic research. It has steadily declined while research to build weapons has skyrocketed. It kind of puts their priorities in perspective.

[VegasWolf]

6. No, the money is going to Halliburton coffers instead of future weapons

programs. Bush has no conscience, but what psychopath does?

:puke:

[roseBudd]

7. Because boots on the ground doesn't make money for anyone, it just costs $

[HuffleClaw]

8. bwaaahhhhaaaa

let me see if i get this right, they are whining aboout wanting money for THEIR coffers?

[hadrons]

9. and they'll be happy to see VA and pay cuts to the troops to get it

scumbags

[wordpix2]

10. even my high school students are starting to wake up to their huge debt

thanks to BushCo

[lovuian]

11. Baaawaaahaaa The Defense Industry knows its getting out of

hand!!!

[applegrove]

12. Perfect timing. Just as the talks started to get somewhere and peace

looks like it could happen. Rummy vows to spend money on infrastruture instead of stopping the insurgency one week - and the next - the defense industry complains too much is being spend on arms.

Why would we believe them?

[tecelote]

13. Greed will bring them all down.