Military Industrial Complex - Essay Example

Eisenhower was worried about the costs of an arms race that was taking shape between the United States and Soviet Union (Pavelec 95). He wanted to caution the American citizens and the incoming administration about concentrating militarization of the country, which he claimed, would deny other areas of the economy the necessary resources. According to Eisenhower, overspending in the military sectors will divert finances aimed for sectors like building of hospitals and schools. Further, increase in military spending resulted in large budgets that were not sustainable by the country; therefore, Eisenhower wanted the country to budget for what it can afford (Pavelec 95).

Eisenhower was also worried the union between defense contractors, and the armed forces would change the way the country handles international relations and disputes. This union, Eisenhower thought would increase the chances of war as a means of solving conflicts instead of depending on peaceful negotiations. As a military veteran, Eisenhower had seen the horror and lingering sadness that result from war. According to Eisenhower, his successors should balance between a strong national defense and diplomacy when dealing with the Soviet Union threat during the cold war.

Therefore, he encourages those that were coming after him to settle differences with other countries not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose (Pavelec 96). Another concern that stimulated the warning was that as the military and the arms industry accumulated power; they posed a threat to the country’s democracy. Eisenhower thought that the massive power of the military and the arms industry and resultant lose democracy would lead to the loss of citizen control over the military-industrial complex (Pavelec 96).

The threat posed by military-industrial complex as envisioned by Eisenhower has become true the years following his speech. Concerning endless conflict with hostile ideology, the former president was right given that the United States has continued to engage in never ending wars with different groups or countries. After the end of Eisenhower’s presidency, the country went on to fight in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. War has become a permanent engagement given the recent declaration by the United States’ political leadership that there is no foreseeable end to the war against terror.

Even after the killing of the Al-Qaeda leader, the country still faces a threat from the terrorist group, which implies its ability to survive the death of its targeted leadership (Eisenhower 7). The United States has become a country of unending war where the end of one signals the chance for the military-industrial complex to find a new enemy that must be neutralized therefore perpetuating the complex’s appetite for war (Eisenhower 8). The Military-Industrial Complex now dictates a large part of the United States foreign policy.

The sale of military equipment to foreign governments has now become a source of major revenue for American arms industry (Pavelec 96). On the permanent military industry, the former president’s warning has come true. Since the end of nineteenth century, the United States military has grown to become a major industry in the country’s defense system. As with any other industry, the arms industry has an ambition to grow, which means