Mhlawumbe uke wezwa ngakho "Makin 'Thunderbirds," ingoma ye-rock & roll eluma kanzima ka-Bob Seger engayilalela eminyakeni engu-30 edlule ngisekolishi. Imayelana nabasebenzi bezimoto emuva ngo-1955 “ababebasha futhi beziqhenya” ngokwenza amaFord Thunderbirds. Kodwa ekuqaleni kwawo-1980, uSeger uyacula, “izitshalo sezishintshile futhi uba nenhlanhla uma usebenza.” U-Seger ubambe iqiniso lengqalasizinda yokukhiqiza yaseMelika eyayiguguleka kakhulu njengoba imisebenzi yezinyunyana enamakhono futhi ekhokha kahle yayinqanyulwa noma ithunyelwe phesheya kwezilwandle, kwakungavamile ukuphinda ibonakale kulezi zingxenye.
Uma imboni yezimoto yase-US isanda kukhombisa izinhlansi zempilo entsha (yize singasenzi i-T-Birds noma i-Mercuries noma i-Oldsmobiles noma i-Pontiacs noma i-Saturn), kukhona uhlobo olulodwa lokukhiqiza lapho i-America isadlangile. Uma kuziwa endabeni yezikhali, ukuchaza i-Seger, sisebancane futhi siyaziqhenya futhi senza ama-Predators and Reapers (njengasemoyeni ezingenamuntu, noma drones) nama-Eagles nama-Falcons Okulwa (njengaku-F-15 ne-F-16 izindiza zokulwa), futhi ziwahlobise ngezikhali ezibulala kakhulu. Kule niche yemakethe, sisengumona womhlaba.
Yebo, “singabathengisi bokufa” abaphambili emhlabeni, okuyisihloko sokudalulwa okudayiswa kakhulu kwezohwebo lwezikhali lwamazwe ngamazwe okwanyatheliswa ukuze kuhlonishwe e-US ngo-1934. Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu baseMelika abaningi babezibona njengabagwema impi kunokuba bagweme impi. abenza inzuzo ngempi. Abenzi benzuzo ababi bempi ngokuyinhloko babengabenzi bezikhali baseYurophu abafana noKrupp waseJalimane, uSchneider waseFrance, noma uVickers waseBrithani.
Akukhona ukuthi iMelika yayingenabo abathengisi bezikhali. Njengoba ababhali bencwadi ethi Merchants of Death baphawula, ekuqaleni izwe lakithi labonisa “ukuthambekela kukaYankee ekukhipheni ama-knickknacks anoveli abulalayo ephaketheni [lethu] labadayisi.” Ngokumangalisayo, i I-Nye Committee eSenate yase-US yasebenzisa amacala angu-93 kusukela ngo-1934 kuya ku-1936 ukuze idalule “izithakazelo zezikhali ezihahayo” zaseMelika. Ngisho nangalezo zinsuku zokucindezeleka okukhulu, isifiso senzuzo nemisebenzi sasilinganisela umuzwa onamandla wokungakhululeki kulokhu kuhweba okubulalayo, ukungakhululeki okuqiniswe ukwesabeka kanye ama-hecatombs of dead kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe Yokuqala.
Asisakhululekile. Namuhla siziqhenya kakhulu (noma okungenani asinawo amahloni) ngokuba yizwe elihamba phambili emhlabeni elithumela izikhali kwamanye amazwe. Izibalo ezimbalwa ziyakufakazela lokhu. Kusukela ngo-2006 kuya ku-2010, i-US yabala cishe ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu wokuthunyelwa kwezikhali emhlabeni wonke, ukwedlula kalula iRussia ephinde yavuka emjahweni othi “Lords of War”. Naphezu kokwehla kokuthengiswa kwezikhali emhlabeni wonke ngo-2010 ngenxa yengcindezi yokuwohloka komnotho, i-US yandise isabelo sayo semakethe, ibala ukushaya okungu-53% yezohwebo ngalowo nyaka. Ngonyaka odlule i-US yabona ijubane lokuletha ngaphezulu kuka-$ 46 billion ekuthengisweni kwezikhali kwamanye amazwe. Ubani othi iMelika ayiseyona inombolo eyodwa?
Ukuze uthole uhlu lokuthenga lohwebo lwethu lwezikhali, zama ukusesha i-Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Isizindalwazi sezikhali ezithunyelwa ngaphandle kanye nezingenisiwe. Iveza ukuthi, ngo-2010, i-US yathumela "izikhali ezinkulu ezivamile" emazweni angu-62, kusukela e-Afghanistan kuya e-Yemen, kanye nezinkundla zezikhali ezisukela ku-F-15, F-16, kanye namajethi okulwa e-F-18 kuya ku-M1 Abrams Izindiza ezinophephela emhlane ezihlasela i-Cobra (zithunyelwe kumaqabane ethu ase-Pakistani) emicibisholo eqondiswayo ngayo yonke imicibisholo, imibala, nosayizi: ama-AAM, ama-PGM, ama-SAM, ama-TOW - isobho lezinhlamvu zangempela zama-missile acronyms. Ungayinaki incazelo yawo ethile: wonke aklanyelwe ukuqhumisa izinto; zonke ziklanyelwe ukubulala.
Okungavamile ukuphikiswana ngakho kuCongress noma ezitolo zezindaba zase-US ukuhlakanipha noma ukuziphatha kwalezi zivumelwano zezikhali. Phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina ezithulile zikaDisemba 2011, ezimemezelweni ezihlukene okungeke kwenzeke ngephutha, i-Obama Administration iveze inhloso yayo yokuthengisa. cishe amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-11 ezingalweni ukuya e-Iraq, okuhlanganisa amathangi akwa-Abrams nama-F-16 fighter-bombers, kanye cishe amabhiliyoni angama-30 ezindiza ze-F-15 eya eSaudi Arabia, ingxenye enkulu, iphakethe lezikhali eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-60 zamaSaudis. Bambalwa kuCongress abaphikisana nezivumelwano ezinjalo zezikhali njengoba osonkontileka bezokuvikela behlinzeka ngemisebenzi ezifundeni zabo - futhi iminikelo elungile emikhankasweni yeCongressional.
Ake sithi ukuma kancane ukuze sicabangele ukuthi isivumelwano esinjalo sezikhali sisho ukuthini nge-Iraq. Okokuqala, i-Iraq "idinga" kuphela amathangi athuthukile kanye namajethi okulwa ngoba sacekela phansi isizukulwane sawo sangaphambilini, kungaba ngo-1991 ngesikhathi seDesert Shield/Storm noma ngo-2003 ngesikhathi se-Operation Iraqi Freedom. Okwesibili, i-Iraq "idinga" izikhali ezivamile ezinamandla kangaka ukuze kunqandwe ukuhlasela kwe-Iran, nokho uhulumeni wamanje e-Baghdad uhambisana kakhulu ne-Iran, ngenxa yokuhlasela kwethu ngo-2003 kanye nomsebenzi ongemuhle owalandela. Okwesithathu, naphezu “kwezidingo” zawo, amasosha ase-Iraq akukho lapho asondele khona ukuze amise futhi agcine izikhali ezithuthuke kangaka, okungenani ngaphandle kokuqeqeshwa okuqhubekayo nokusekelwa okuhlinzekwa ngamasosha ase-US.
As isikhulu sase-US Air Force owasebenza njengomeluleki webutho lasemoyeni lase-Iraq, noma i-IqAF, muva nje ukhathazekile:
“Ingabe i-IqAF izokwazi ukuzakhela uphethiloli endizeni yayo? Ingabe amasosha ase-Iraqi anganikeza ukuvikelwa kwamandla okwanele nokuphepha ezisekelweni zawo? Ingabe i-IqAF ingahlinzeka ngezinsizakalo zokuphatha inkundla yezindiza ezisekelweni zayo njengoba ibuyela ekulawuleni i-Iraqi ngemva kweminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwe-US? Ingabe i-IqAF ingaqinisekisa ukuphehlwa kukagesi okulula ukugcina izikhungo zisebenza? Ingabe i-IqAF izokwazi ukuthuthukisa futhi igcine abasebenzi bayo bezindiza?… Yisikhathi kuphela esiyosho uma sisuka [e-Iraq] kusenesikhathi; nokho, nangaphandle kwesivumelwano sokuphepha esivuselelwe, i-USAF ingaqhubeka nokuma eceleni kwe-IqAF.”
Kalula nje: Siyangabaza ukuthi ama-Iraqis akulungele ukudlala futhi andize ama-F-16s aseMelika, kodwa sizowathengisa noma kunjalo. Futhi uma umlando odlule ungumhlahlandlela, uma ama-Iraqi eke ajikise lezi zindiza ngokumelene nathi, sizoziqhumisa noma sizidubule - bese (ngethemba) sizithengise ezinye.
Ikhasimende Lethu Elingcono Kakhulu Lezikhali
Masibhekane nakho: izikhali esizithengisela abanye azilutho uma ziqhathaniswa nezikhali esizidayisela zona. Emakethe yezikhali ezibulalayo, singamakhasimende ethu angcono kakhulu. Abantu baseMelika bathandana nabo, uma usezingeni eliphezulu futhi ubiza, kungcono. Kufanele ngazi. Phela sengiwumlutha wezikhali.
Phakathi neminyaka yami yobusha, ngangithanda izinto zezempi. Ngakha amamodeli alokho okwakuyizindiza zempi zase-US ngaleso sikhathi: i-A-10, i-F-4, i-F-14, -15, ne- -16, i-B-1, nezinye eziningi. Ngifunde i-Aviation Week kanye ne-Space Technology emtapweni wezincwadi wami wendawo ukuze ngilandelele intuthuko entsha kubuchwepheshe bezempi. Akumangalisi ukuthi mhlawumbe ngathola iziqu zobunjiniyela bemishini ekolishi futhi ngangenela uMbutho Wezempi Wasemoyeni njengonjiniyela othuthukayo.
Njengoba ngangijatshuliswa ukubhonga kwezibhamu kanye nezikhali eziwubukhazikhazi, ngaqala nokufunda izincwadi ezinjengalezi. UJames Fallows I-National Defence (1981) phakathi kokunye ukugxeka kwasekuqaleni kwe-Carter and Reagan Defence buildup, kanye nemithetho ehlakaniphe kakhulu nehlale ihlakaniphile ka-Augustine (1986) ngo. Norman Augustine, kamuva i-CEO kaMartin Marietta kanye no-Lockheed Martin. Lokho kanye nolwazi lwami eButhweni Lomoya lwangiqwashisa ngezigidigidi zamaRandi ebesizisebenzisela ukusebenzisa izikhali zobuchwepheshe obuphezulu ezinamathegi entengo ahlala ebhaloni kodwa insiza engabazekayo.
Mhlawumbe isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuphikelela kwalesi simo yi- I-F-35 Lightning II. Ikhiqizwe ngu-Lockheed Martin, i-F-35 yayihloselwe ukuba ibe ibhomu lokulwa “elithengekayo” (cishe amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-50 ikhophi ngayinye), umphelelisi ophelele we-F-22 “yokuphakama emoyeni” Raptor ebiza kakhulu. Kepha ukubambezeleka okujwayelekile, ukweqiwa kwezindleko, izinkinga zobuchwepheshe, kanye nezinguquko ezidingekayo kwenze ithegi yentengo ye-F-35 yafinyelela ku-$160 wezigidi ngendiza ngayinye, kucatshangwa ukuthi amasosha ase-US aphikelela ezinhlelweni zawo zokuthenga ezingu-2,400 22 zazo. (Uma i-Pentagon inquma ukuthenga okumbalwa, izindleko zendiza ngayinye zizokhuphukela ebangeni le-F-35.) Ngokwezilinganiso zakamuva i-F-XNUMX manje izobiza abakhokhi bentela base-US (mina nawe, okungukuthi) okungenani amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-382 ekuthuthukisweni nasekukhiqizeni kwayo. Isamba esinjalo sohlelo olulodwa lwezikhali sikhulu ngokwanele ukuba kube nzima ukusiqonda. Ngokwesibonelo, bekungaxhasa kalula konke izimali zikahulumeni wesifundazwe kwezemfundo iminyaka emihlanu ezayo.
Izindleko ezikhulayo ze-F-35 zikhumbula imithetho edume kakhulu yokungahloniphi kaNorman Augustine: “Ngonyaka ka-2054,” ebhala emuva ekuqaleni kwawo-1980, “sonke isabelomali sokuvikela siyokwazi ukuthenga indiza eyodwa kuphela.” Kepha umbuzo ojulile ngowokuthi ngabe amasosha ethu ayayidinga yini i-F-35, umbuzo ongavamile ukubuzwa futhi ongakaze ujatshuliswe, okungenani yiCongress, ifilosofi yayo ngezikhali ifana nekaKing Lear: "O, ungacabangi isidingo."
Kodwa ake sicabange ngesidingo ngemibandela yezempi kuphela. Kulezi zinsuku, i-Air Force iphendukela kakhulu ama-drones angenamuntu. Khonamanjalo, insada “yezinkundla” ezinhle futhi ezisebenzisekayo ezisasele ukuze kuhlaselwe futhi kuvalwe umkhankaso wokusekela emoyeni, kusukela kuma-F-16 kanye nama-F-18 ku-Air Force kanye ne-Navy kuya ezindizeni ezinophephela emhlane ze-Apache eButhweni Lezempi. Futhi nakuba iningi lamajethi ethu okulwa akhona kungenzeka asondela emikhawulweni yobuqotho be-airframe, akukho lutho oluvimba amasosha ase-US ukuthi akhiqize izinguqulo ezibuyekeziwe ezifanayo. Heck, yilokhu kanye esikubhekile kumaSaudis - izinguqulo ezibuyekeziwe ze-F-15, ezathuthukiswa ngeminyaka yawo-1970s.
Ngenxa yezindleko ezishibhile, kungenzeka ukuthi sizothenga ama-F-35 ambalwa kunalawo afunwa ngamasosha kodwa amaningi kakhulu kunalokho esikudinga ngempela. Sizokwenza lokho ngoba i-Weapons 'R' Us. Ngoba ukwakha amajethi okulwa abiza kakhulu kungenye yezimboni ezimbalwa zobuchwepheshe obuphezulu esingazange sizithumele kwamanye amazwe (ngenxa yokuphepha kwezwe nokukhathazeka okuyimfihlo), futhi ngaleyo ndlela enye yezimboni ezimbalwa e-US ezisasekela imisebenzi yokukhiqiza ekhokha kakhulu izinzuzo ezihloniphekile zabasebenzi. Futhi ubani ongaphikisana nalokho?
Izindleko Zokugcina Zempahla Yethu Yokufa
Ngokusobala, i-US ibambe indandatho yethusi yohwebo lwezikhali emhlabeni wonke. Uma kukhulunywa ngokutshala imali kwezempi nezikhali, alikho izwe elingafana nathi. Siphakeme. Futhi naphezu kwenkulumo yokuncishiswa okuncane kwesabelomali sePentagon kule minyaka eyishumi ezayo, kuzokwenza, ngokuvumelana ne Mengameli Obama, qhubeka nokukhula, okusho ukuthi ngokwezikhali ikusasa lihlezi liqhakazile. Phela, imali esetshenziswa yiPentagon ocwaningweni nasekuthuthukisweni ifinyelela ku-$81.4 billion, okuyimali kuyamangaza 55% yakho konke ukusetshenziswa kwemali yenhlangano ku-R&D futhi kushiye inqwaba yamathuba okuthuthukisa isizukulwane sethu esilandelayo izikhali ezimangalisayo.
Kodwa ngenani lethu nasemhlabeni wonke? Sesiphenduke abahlinzeki bezikhali ezindaweni ezishisayo zomhlaba. Futhi lezo zikhali zokulethwa (kanye nokuqeqeshwa nokwesekwa okuhambisana nazo) kuvame ukwenza lezo zindawo zishise kakhulu - njengokuhola okushisayo.
Njengezwe, sibonakala sithakasela intsha nge-hardware yezempi, ukulutheka okusiqhubezela ukuba silahle isabelo sethu sesabelomali sikazwelonke. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, sithengisa izikhali ngendlela amapunk athengisa ngayo iziqhumane ezinganeni ezincane: ukuze enze inzuzo futhi ngokunganaki ukuthi zingasetshenziswa kanjani.
Eminyakeni engamashumi ayisithupha edlule, kunjalo kwashiwo ukuthi okuhle kuGeneral Motors kuhle eMelika. Ngo-1955, njengoba uBob Seger ecula, sasisebasha futhi sinamandla futhi simakin' amaThunderbird. Kodwa namuhla sidlala iculo elisha elinamagama amasha: yini elungele u-Lockheed Martin noma i-Boeing noma [faka i-Major-defense-contractor-of-your-choice here] kuhle eMelika.
Yeka ukuthi sesihambe ibanga elingakanani kusukela ngeminyaka yawo-1950!
UWilliam J. Astore, u-lieutenant colonel (USAF) osewathatha umhlalaphansi, uyi- I-TomDispatch ejwayelekile. Ukuze ulalele inhlolokhono yakamuva ka-Timothy MacBain yomsindo we-Tomcast lapho u-Astore exoxa ngokujabula kwezikhali kusiko lomculo we-pop nokuthi zifiphele kanjani kuye, chofoza lapha, noma uyilande ku-iPod yakho lapha. Uyawamukela imibono yabafundi ku [i-imeyili ivikelwe].
Lesi sihloko sivele okokuqala ku-TomDispatch.com, i-weblog ye-Nation Institute, enikeza ukugeleza okuqhubekayo kweminye imithombo, izindaba, kanye nemibono evela ku-Tom Engelhardt, umhleli wesikhathi eside ekushicileleni, umsunguli we-American Empire Project, umbhali we Ukuphela Kwesiko Lokunqoba, njengenoveli, Izinsuku Zokugcina Zokushicilela. Incwadi yakhe yakamuva ithi The American Way of War: How Bush's Wars Became Obama's (Haymarket Books).
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa kuphela ngokuphana kwabafundi bayo.
Nikela