Politics: defense purchases, part 1

Self-tutoring about potential arms purchases during uncertain trade policies: the tutor makes a few observations.

In general, people might have a cynical mind about defense spending. The US spent over 2 trillion in Afghanistan, yet the Taliban seem to have reclaimed it, with minimal funding or support, in 2021. Such is my understanding, anyway.

Therefore, although we are suggested by governments and militaries that spending a lot of money is critical to military and/or foreign policy success, one might remain skeptical about that.

The US, it now seems, is giving long-term allies reasons to doubt its intentions. At the same time, Lockheed Martin, a US defense manufacturer, seems to hope countries will purchase its f-35 fighter. My understanding is that the base price of the f-35 is 85 million (US) per unit.

Generally, in a time of uncertain trade with the US, it seems like folly to purchase critical weapons systems from it. Moreover, it also seems that the Pentagon is involved in such purchases. One might see that as a conflict of interest.

During globalization, one might suspect countries got complacent and corrupt, willing to contract out purchases to foreign parties they could have made locally. It seems likely enough that Canada and Europe can engineer and produce their own defense equipment.

Source:

dfat.gov.au

watson.brown.edu

msn.com