The endless wars Bush has embarked on may be a sign of desperation

[KlatooBNikto]

rather than strength. I look at it this way.Over the past six decades many American industries which were used to dominating most industry segments ( steel, autos, aircraft and computers, not to mention entertainment devices like TV, videocams,still cams etc) are practically being driven out of business by German, Japanese,Korean and very soon by Chinese and Indian corporations.The lack of profitability has come from the go-go 80's when men with not two nickels to rub together could put together a leveraged buyout program with shysters like Milken and Boesky and many other investment banks and loot the equity that had been built up in an old fashioned way by ethical businessmen.The companies are now saddled with debt, the servicing of which is taking a heavy toll on the bottom line.Of course, this is not the only problem.In the case of the Big Three autos, it is also due to lack of innovative design,adoption of new technologies and a poor reputation for quality which hurts even if there have been improvements because the public remembers the bad features.In the commercial aircraft industry,Boeing is losing ground to Airbus which is now the preferred aircraft supplier to many airline in India and China two of the fastest growing areas for air traffic.

Given this situation, I am sure that a blue blooded American CEO's thinking starts off with who to blame.Right now it is labor who are thought to be pampered but not CEOs like Bernie Ebbers or Dennis Kozlowski who cooked the books and managed to loot their companies and shareholders.So, off to China or India the corporation goes in search of cheap labor.Soon it will become apparent cheap labor is not the panacea it is cracked up to be, if it is not apparent already.

So, the entire corporate big wheels go to the head crook Cheney to find a way to improve the bottom line. Cheney, ever obliging when it comes to issues involving money,turns his disciple Bush on to the idea of wars as the way to restore Amnerican Economic Supremacy.This is the scenario that makes sense to me on why Bush appeals to so many CEOs.

[Deja Q]

1. We gave them the jobs and power. We have but ourselves to blame.

[McKenzie]

2. I recently posted a link that talks about military adventurism

as a sign of desperation, amongst other things. Here's an extract from it>>>

<snip>

The only remaining superiority is military. This is classic for a crumbling system. The final glory is militarism. The fall of the Soviet Union took place in an identical context. Their economy was in decline, and their leadership grew fearful. Their military apparatus gained in size and stature and the Russians embarked on adventures to forget their economic shortcomings. The parallels in the US are obvious. The process has significantly accelerated in the past few months.

<snip>

http://www.countercurrents.org/us-senn080803.htm

[Ezlivin]

3. It's called a "Military-Industrial Complex" for a reason

When I read Chalmer's Johnson's book, "The Sorrows of Empire", I saw that the MI complex was the beast that demanded to be fed.

Now that it demands even more, how can we stop it?

[KlatooBNikto]

4. Thanks for the link and the excellent observation on the connection

between declining economic competitiveness and the flexing of military muscle.