Conflicts of Interest ~ War Profiteers & the F-35
March 10, 2020 
One cannot serve two masters, they say. In recent years, the corrupting influence of big money has replaced our government that was meant to represent the people with one that serves plutocrats and the politicians they own.
A good example is the Lockheed F-35 program. According to the Project on Government Oversight, over 40 senior Pentagon officials have been working with Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the F-35 jet and biggest weapons manufacturer in the world.
In another significant conflict of interest, the US Secretary of Defense was a lobbyist for Raytheon. Raytheon makes multiple components for the F-35. According to the Raytheon website: “Raytheon is providing precision munitions for firepower, a system that delivers real-time information from six cameras to a pilot’s helmet, and an advanced landing system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.” According to defense analyst, Pierre Sprey, that Raytheon helmet now costs $600,000. That’s right up there with the thousand dollar hammer.
On February 10, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff joined the Lockheed corporate Board of Directors. Gen. Dunford Staff was the nation’s highest-ranking military officer.
“Components [of the F-35] are built in 46 states, and about 350 Congressional districts… that’s an awful lot of organic Congressional support for the program on Capitol Hill.”
War is a racket. Greed is the reason the taxpayers are buying thousands of jets [2500 jets according to the Government Accountability Office] that do not function properly, pollute and will end up costing us a projected $1.5 Trillion. Like other spending plans, I ask: “How will you pay for that?” The media doesn’t seem to ask that question when it comes to military spending.
Brad Geyer
Safe Skies Clean Water Wisconsin
Veterans for Peace-Madison
I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country’s most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street, and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.
– Major General Smedley Butler, USMC