Is War Profiteering an actual Crime?

[Bandit]

If it isn't it should be although I doubt very much it is. That is the one thing this Administration truly excels at. They have emptied out our National Treasury and divided it up amongst their Pioneers and Eagles. Why is it so difficult for Americans to recognize the truth?

[Vincardog]

1. Yes it is

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. No, but

Conspiracy to engage in agressive war and engaging in agressive war certainly are....

Just ask the judges at Nuremberg, two of the indictments

That said, Trumman made this ilegal during WW II in American Law, and the companies that actually played fair paid for it (willis jeep), while those who did not, well had less profits... oh damn

[Geek_Girl]

3. I have a blog post about this

Its very interesting. Prescott Bush did business with the Nazi's during WWII. Kitty Kelly also talks about it in her book and I have a link to an article in the guardian about it.

It looks like the Bush family has a history of it and they seemed to be skilled at not getting caught doing anything illegal.


http://geekgirl.typepad.com/my_weblog/2004/09/is_war_profitee.html

[Rick Myers]

4. There WAS the Trading with the Enemies Act

Don't think it is in force now. Besides, Dubya signed an order freeing any corporation from being held liable for it's actions in Iraq. :grr:

[punpirate]

5. I guess there are a couple of categories in this...

... and they are easily confused. Doing business with the enemy is a violation of the Trading with the Enemy Act, and that's a criminal offense, although there was only person ever convicted in WWII (an executive with Standard Oil, who'd plead guilty before trial), even with all the very egregious examples of such during that war.

Simply making money off war, at least in this country, is not illegal. But, the Roosevelt and Truman administrations insisted on tax policy which put a surtax of 80% on excess war profits, based on some sort of formula for what was a reasonable profit.

That said, it's still morally and ethically questionable, especially when that money is being made through wars of convenience. Unfortunately, Americans seem to think it's okay to make money on just about any enterprise, so it's difficult to get their attention about no-bid contracts, long-term contractor-military agreements and the privatization of the military, all of which have a place in the arguments against war profiteering, and against the too-close relationship of contractors, Congress and the Pentagon.