Unwarranted Influence: Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Military-Industrial Complex by James Ledbetter

Unwarranted Influence: Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Military-Industrial Complex

By James Ledbetter

Published by: Yale University Press 2011

            This book addresses the topic of the military industrial complex, made famous by President Eisenhower during his farewell speech in 1961. It explains that prior to the delivery of the speech, the ones who suggested shedding light on this subject were actually his advisers. The idea revealed in the speech was of the connection between wartime spending and companies contracted by the government. It was understood that after wars were resolved, under normal circumstances, countries would usually demilitarize their armies. However, the book explains that the United States accomplished the exact opposite and has generally increased defense budgets all together since World War II. According to Ledbetter, “we can approximately define the military industrial complex as a network of public and private forces that combine a profit motive with the planning and implementation of strategic policy”(6). He describes the overlap between private military contractors and the federal government includes Department of Defense contracts and appointments of military contractors to government positions. Also, to strengthen this network, lobbying by the military contractors, campaign contributors, and the desire of Congress members to protect and expand military spending which would benefit their district. Ledbetter breaks down the threats of the military industrial complex and why Eisenhower warned against its unwarranted influence. He suggests the military industrial complex creates wasteful military spending, takes away from social budgets and changes the American economy. Support for these arguments could be found in elaborate military projects developing expensive technologies designed for war. Also, the truth is that the military does consume the most of the US budget, stripping away funding towards education and other social services. The economy is affected by accruing mass amounts of national debt, types and locations of manufacturing jobs available and the civilian market for technologies like aircraft, satellite and other hand-me down military tech. Ledbetter also brings to the table theories detailing this networks drive for profit, including the merchants of death thesis, the war economy thesis, the garrison state thesis and technocratic elite thesis. Each of these theses more or less explains how conflicts are created to maximize profits and hinder society’s liberties. Along with explaining the military industrial complex’s network, he goes as far as elaborating on Eisenhower’s positions during and after his presidency. He makes it clear that Eisenhower knew America’s position as a world superpower had to be defended and upheld, but he was weary of throwing huge appropriations of money to a wartime economy.

            Military interventions since World War II have all allotted funds to the defense budget. These brought forth wonderful technologies to civilians such as cell phones, GPS, and computers but at what cost? The United States needed a huge military to fight the Nazi’s, then they needed a stronger military to fight the Soviet’s and the spread of Communism, and now they need to spend more than the next ten countries militaries combined to protect us against terrorism. This book forces one to ask questions like how safe does a big expensive military really make us? And how much influence do profit seeking contractors have in decisions made by our “trusted” elected officials?

Adrian Fernandez

Women Position and Demographic Change

In “Women Position and Demographic Change” Federici, Mason, and Sogner discusses the possible implications or consequences when women’s position are altered. Additionally, the authors utilize demographic information and statistical evidence to prove that women’s position has a demographical affect. Their primary focus is fertility rates in relation to women’s position. Ultimately, they concluded …

            I am disinterested in their conclusion, because it does little to further my thesis that Afghanistan’s low literacy rate is a product of its demographics and famial construct. On the other hand, the authors included evidence correlating to the subject of demographics and their possible causes/effect. Thus, I am able to use the demographic analysis provided as evidence in my thesis paper a high rate to explain some phenomena and therefore, for my own thesis of what causes high illiteracy rate.

             Federici, Mason, and Sogner are extremely concerned with women’s status. I too, acknowledge, how women’s status affects their families. One of the most influential demographic is that 1.5 million widows exist in Afghanistan currently. The rate is expected to continue to grow. Martial status is a great signifier of women’s position. Single women, married women, and widows all maintain different status implications. That is that women are defined through the status of men that surround them (essentially, guardians). Thus, widows may experience a shift (negative or positive) in their status.

The authors claim “A change in women’s position directly and independently contributes to a change in fertility or mortality.” Essentially, the authors propose that as women gain independence their children’s survival increases because it may “increase the mother’s ability to provide her children with adequate nutrition and medical care and secondly, it also may increase the value of daughters and thereby encouraging greater nutritional and medical investments in daughters as well as son.” The basic premises that underlies this hypothesis is that because women give birth to and are responsible for the day to day care of young children when they have the ability to improve child nutrition (e.g. because they earn money and can buy food for their children), or have the ability to take advantage of medical services (e.g. because they have the freedom to make decisions on their own without having to consult their husbands, or mother’s in-law, they will act on this ability, and child survival will improve.” Basically, children are best off when their mothers have status.

Widows may experience a loss of status and position in Afghanistan because of the vale placed on family structure consisting of men as the lead providers; unless the husband’s family offers financial support. In following the author’s proposition then one might expect the children survival decreases when cared for by a widowed mother. If children are too sick or malnourished due to a decrease in nutrition they may not be able to attend school. Additionally limited financial resource may cause school to be less of a priority, specifically for girls, who do not provide sufficient financial reward.  Therefore, the high rate of widowed mothers means that children’s decreased survival negatively affects school attendance. Moreover, rare or minimal attendance may cause low grades and illiteracy. So that one may assume high widow rates in Afghan, especially due to women’s dependency on men, fosters an environment of high illiteracy among children.

            My conclusion that high widow demographic causes illiterate children could be furthered to specify that it likely that girls will be the most illiterate demographic. As previously mentioned, the authors found widespread infanticide of neglect of girls is most frequent in countries where women are dependent on men. Since it is already established that women are economically dependent on men, one can assume that girls are more likely too be neglected that boys are because boys provide financial gain for a family. Consequently, a high rate of widows not only means that children survival rate is compromised, but also, that a girl’s survival rate is further compromised. If this is so, than girls are far less likely to attend school than boys are and even more likely to be illiterate than boys are.

Understanding Iran: Everything you Need to know, from Persia to the Islamic Republic, from Cyrus to Ahmadinejad, by William R. Polk

Understanding Iran: Everything you need to know from Persia to the Islamic Republic, from Cyrus to Ahmadinehad by William R. Polk examines Iran’s ancient and modern history. Polk analyzes how Iran’s ancient history has helped shape the nations culture and ideals. Different factors such as geography, ethnicity, language, and religion are explained, as is the rise and fall of four Iranian empires.  Where the book really excels is talking about the events in the twentieth century. Polk actually visited Iran and spent time there in the 1950’s and 60’s. His experiences there, combined with his extensive knowledge on Iranian history led him to have a deeper understanding of the Iranian mentality. Polk feels that American policy makers simply don’t have a full grasp on Iran and Iranians and that is why so many policies fall short. Polk believes that if they had a better understanding of Iran, the Iranian regimes behavior would be less confusing and unpredictable to the American policy makers. Polk uses history to explain why Iran reacts the way it does to U.S. policy as an alternative to the mathematical approach policy makers use which disregard the emotions, perceptions, and fears that help  form their reactions to American policies. Overall Polk’s approach to Iranian foreign policy is very interesting and his analytical approach to Iran’s history can help one understand how and why things in Iran have become the way they are.

Public Events and Police Response: Understanding Public Order Policing in Democratic India by T.K. Vinod Kumar

Author T.K. Vinod Kumar in his book, Public Events and Police Response: Understanding Public Order Policing in Democratic India displays a series of studies, in which he investigates and analyzes controversial public events that have taken place in India and how the police proactively and reactively responds to them. Having worked as Superintendent of Police in Districts, Commissioner of Police of Calcutta City, Deputy Inspector General, Inspector General of Police in Kerala and being a reputable member of the Indian Police Service, Kumar presents an interesting insight when he takes a neutral stance and reveals both the positive and negative sides of the Indian police, varying on the events offered in the book. Public Events and Police Response: Understanding Public Order Policing in Democratic India demonstrates how certain unfortunate and controversial events in India and the response of police to these situations reflect and depict the disastrous reality and nature of political and social interaction within the country. One thing that catches the reader’s eye throughout this book is Kumar’s statement where he constantly admits and advocates for the Indian police to maintain law and order, without infringing the rights of the individuals. Kumar’s use of both quantitative and qualitative method of research in this book really helps the readers form their own opinion and understand each event thoroughly and what could have happened and has happened. In totality Kumar presents this book through the various events that have taken place in India and explains the role the Indian police force has played and where the mistakes took place, whereas what should have technically happened. This book really gives the readers an understanding of how India is lacking in the institutions of public enforcement and highlights the importance of reform, due to the frequency of increasing occurrences of such events and levels of violence and disorder associated with these high volumes of controversial cases.

Book Review: Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn by Richard Ellis

Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine

Richard Ellis

Richard Ellis focuses his book on reasons behind why tigers are now an endangered species. He accredits this threat of extinction not only due to habitat loss, but also due to Asian medicinal trade. Although it is important to note that other states such as Russia also have poaching that is related to Chinese medicine, Ellis emphases India’s role in it.  The assertion that is made that majority of poachers are tribal people who make very little off the tiger parts was surprising. Ellis states that there are instances were poachers make only fifteen dollars for a killed tiger, while the traders are the ones that make majority of the profit. After discussing the methods and reasoning behind tiger poaching, Ellis continues with what the Indian government is doing to prevent the extinction of these animals. There are NGOs such as the Wildlife Protection society of India that work with various governmental agencies to stop tiger poachers and traders. These agencies work to examine and research unnatural tiger deaths and how tiger killings are being carried out. Although there are organizations in place to research and help put an end to tiger poaching, there is little done for convicting caught poachers and traders.  According to the magazine India Today, besides the operations of various task forces the law within India has become lenient against conviction and punishments for poaching. The article that Ellis mentions states that according to records, only 14 out of 1,400 cases of accused poachers were condemned.

Notes:

Ellis, R. (2005). Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine. Washington : Island Press.