War profiteers have spied a new place they can militarize
with their high-tech, high-cost weaponry.
At last, both
Republicans and Democrats are beginning to respond aggressively to economic
needs. “It has been a tough time,” admits one Washington insider, applauding a
new spending proposal that “could help out.”
Unfortunately, he and
Congress aren’t referring to your tough times. No, no — they’re rushing to the
aid of the multi-billion-dollar Military-Industrial Complex.
The government, you
see, hasn’t been getting our nation into enough wars to satisfy the insatiable
appetite of Northrop Grumman and its ilk for government money. So those war
profiteers have spied a new place they can militarize with their high-tech,
high-cost weaponry: The U.S.-Mexican border.
These corporate predators are deploying an army of lobbyists to Congress to target what they see as a booming market. “Border security!” is their battle cry.
These profiteers have
already stuffed the Senate’s immigration bill with $46 billion for more
militarization of the 2,000-mile border. More drones! More electronic gadgetry!
More agents needing more weapons! More war toys! There’s no shortage of
opportunities on our southern border.
A platoon of corporate
lobbyists embedded their specific wish lists directly in the Senate bill,
mandating brand-name purchases. For example, the bill requires the Border
Patrol to buy six airborne radar systems from Northrop at $9.3 million each and
15 Black Hawk helicopters from Sikorsky at $17 million apiece.
What we have here is
the emergence of a new hybrid monster: a Border-Industrial Complex pushing a
permanent, ever-expanding border war.
How long before they
use the cry of “terrorism!” to militarize the Canadian border, too? And after
that, my guess is they’ll want to seal off those pesky anti-war radicals in
places like Vermont.
OtherWords columnist Jim Hightower is
a radio commentator, writer, and public speaker. He's also editor of the
populist newsletter, The
Hightower Lowdown. OtherWords.org