War - Military Industrial Complex
 

"The phrase 'military industrial complex' comes to us from President Eisenhower's valedictory address. He was, in fact, expressing concern with possible defense increases to be made by President Kennedy, who had run for the presidency proclaiming a nonexistent 'missile gap.' One must remember that 1960 was part of an era in which Democrats still supported national defense.
In fact, President John F. Kennedy was arguably the best friend the 'complex' ever had. I invite the reader to examine a copy of JANE'S FIGHTING SHIPS. Just as one example, the entire 'Lafayette' class of missile submarines - thirty one of them - was authorized and/or built during his administration. [By contrast, in the first four years of the Reagan Administration, only THREE missile submarines were authorized.] That's only one class of one type of ship in one military service. We were building tanks, guns, and airplanes, too. Lots of them. Toss in ONE THOUSAND Minuteman ICBMs.
And it wasn't just defense. Remember that Kennedy was the man who initiated Project Apollo, the funds for which did not go to the Sierra Club, but rather to Boeing, Lockheed, Grumman, General Dynamics and the other members of the club. Lots of bucks.
The plain truth of the matter is that the 'complex' never had it so good as it did under Kennedy. Killing him would not only have been bad for business, but damned ungrateful as well."

TOM CLANCY IN HIS OWN WORDS
Page 88
"The Tom Clancy Companion"

(supplied to this Zoomie by an Army bud)


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