In 2023, all 9 of the world's nuclear-armed nations (incl Israel) increased nuclear weapons spending at a rate of $250 million/day. The largest rise was by the U.S. at 18% incr over 2022 to $51.5 billion--that's $98,000/minute, more than the other 8 countries combined.
Global hunger could be eradicated by 2030 for less than what these countries will spend on nukes. Homelessness, drug rehab, daycare for children of working parents could all be resolved with this kind of money. Of course, if they use the nukes (which is becoming increasingly likely with all the bellicose talk and provocative actions around Ukraine, Iran, China, and N. Korea), hunger, housing, childcare, education, will be the least of our concerns.
Who profits most directly from this weapons build-up? In this order:
Honeywell
Northrop Grumman
BAE
Airbus
Boeing (1 reason why they put so little effort into making their passenger jets safe)
The site that Kushner wants to develop was bombed by Americans in 1999. It was a military target, although with mixed civilian uses. The building (which #Trump’s SIL plans to destroy) commemorates Yugoslav Partisan victories over the Nazis in tense canyon battles during WW2.
This “deal” is a travesty for civilian victims of the 1999 war (Albanian and Serbian), in a country that wouldn’t exist without the #Antifascist struggle of the Partisans. 1/3
“Gaza’s waterfront property could be very valuable to—if people would focus on building up livelihoods,” #Kushner said, w/o clarifying who exactly would #profit off such a proj.
He suggested displacing remaining #Palestinians from “valuable” waterfront,& dropping them in the desert.
“…something in the Negev,…move people in there…,so that you can go in & finish the job.”
JVL describes the Negev as“oppressively hot”&“filled more w/dirt, rocks & canyons,which are no less forbidding”than sand dunes.
#Trump’s son-in-law said he was close to finalizing real estate projects in the two #Balkan nations, an example of the Trump family’s pursuit of deals abroad as the former president seeks the White House.
News of the #Kushner proposal provoked strong objections…from opposition party ldrs in #Serbia….
Opposition party ldrs said they had not been properly informed of the plan & called it inappropriate that an American company owned by a #Trump family member would… #profit off a site that a #UnitedStates led coalition bombed 25 yrs ago.
#Profit outweighs all other considerations. How else will #billionaires increase their personal wealth? They have expenses — ocean-going yachts, houses on every continent, etc.
They need the money they steal from the poor, in despite of the planet and its occupants...
Capitalism is dangerous, we say. Climate breakdown is accelerating. Radical changes to our economy and society must happen very quickly.
No, no, no, calm down, reply the patriarchs. Your elders know what they are doing. Everything will be fine. There’s no need to be a doomer.
Which reminds me of this...
"The state tells us the situation is not dangerous. The state tells us it wants to prevent a panic. When people ask questions that are not in their own best interest, they should simply be told to keep their minds on their labor, and leave matters of the state to the state. Contain the spread of information. That is how we keep the people from undermining the fruits of their own labor."
@breadandcircuses
Problem is:
The State wants to lower taxes and provide breaks for their rich buddies. So they dismantle their resposibilities to lower gov't spending or Give it over to private [EXPLETIVE] Third Parties.
Prime example in the US is the F.A.A., decimated by budget cuts years ago now let manufacturers inspect and certify their own planes. Now they add a Third Party agency to the picture. Clearly a FAIL on the gov't's part.
This is not only a US problem, examples of this are happening all over the world as far as can see.
😞
There is a reason we have governments:
the people alone can't afford this and
Private industry simply won't do it without some #Profit motivation.
Imagine an alien race visits Earth and asks why we’re totally wasting the only planet we have and risking our own future while pushing millions of other species under the bus. Imagine world „leaders“ trying to explain to them full of excitement and fervour what „profit“ is.