Arms Down! John Feffer on GDAMS in World Beat

April 13, 2012 by IPB

John Feffer from the Institute for Policy Studies published this piece on military spending and GDAMS in his weekly column, World Beat.

He focuses on the global interconnections in military spending, stating:

Any demilitarization plan must begin with the United States. As the number one military spender and arms exporter in the world, the United States is the heart that pumps the blood that keeps the military-industrial complex functioning worldwide. U.S. arms manufacturers have gamed the system to maintain their dominance. They have set up their manufacturing in as many states as possible in order to buy the support of Congress.
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To break out of this zero-sum situation and create a virtuous circle of military reductions, we must pursue a three-prong strategy. The first addresses U.S. military spending, the second focuses on the global arms trade, and the third creates incentives for countries to reorient their budget priorities.

See the rest of this informative piece, wherein not only the challenges posed by military spending, but also the possible solutions to the Military Industrial Complex are explored in depth.