News Why We Fight Movie: Must-Watch Eye-Opening Film

[jhe1984]

Maybe this was in the movie, but did you know that the second largest military force in Iraq is private military contractors?

Their combined numbers are a few thousand larger than the UKs. Many are operating in combat support roles, but a suprisingly large amount carry assault rifles, NVGs, sniper rifles, etc and have access to humvees, (maybe APCs), and limited air support. Crazy, huh...

 

[Skyhunter]

Are there any initiatives to curb the US arms industry by regulation? Is this even on the public agenda in the States?

You mean those terrorist coddling liberals?

Now that the US has suspended habeas corpus, they will be dealt with.

 

[Pythagorean]

Are there any initiatives to curb the US arms industry by regulation? Is this even on the public agenda in the States?

War is its own monster, and it's largely directed by the executive branch in the U.S. and so they probably control (or at least try) the policies on the arms industry, in the name of defense. I think they need approval from congress in most cases, but as I understand it, the president also has some sort of influence over who sits in congress.

I'm just taking Pol Econ as a general requirement, so I'd appreciate any bonified critcism on my understanding of the politics of war.

Besides what I've learned from my PE class, I think some people claim congress was 'tricked' into allowing the war in iraq to happen. There's also some people that say that the president has 'emergency powers' which gives him a special position during times of war.

I imagine it would be very difficult to 'curb the US arms industry', but I'm quite an outsider on the issue.

 

[Yonoz]

War is its own monster, and it's largely directed by the executive branch in the U.S. and so they probably control (or at least try) the policies on the arms industry, in the name of defense.

I would like to emphasise that my question was about the US public agenda. Obviously individuals in whatever branch will have their own motives etc; I really meant to ask if there is any constructive criticism calling for some kind of regulatory control of the military industries? Or is regulation perceived as less desirable than than military-industrial-government complexes?
Why should "checks and balances" be limited to the government sector, when there is such strong fear of excessive power being gained by entities in the private sector?