China News Service, Beijing, April 9th, Question: Who is "fat" and "suffering" by the Russian-Ukrainian crisis?
Author Shu Yan
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has lasted for more than 40 days, and the situation is still escalating, bringing negative effects to the world, while the United States is selling arms and energy to reap the benefits.
As soon as the war in Afghanistan ended, the United States quickly found its next "prey".
The situation in Russia and Ukraine has been constantly "fueling the fire", providing weapons to Ukraine, and imposing all-round sanctions on Russia, and then "taking advantage of the fire."
After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, global stock markets fell, while the stock prices of the US military giants bucked the trend and rose sharply.
Lockheed Martin shares are up 30% year-to-date.
Raytheon Technologies is up nearly 20% at its peak this year, while shares of Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics have also surged.
The "crisis" of the situation in Russia and Ukraine has actually become an "opportunity" for the US military giants.
At the same time, the United States also attacked its allies and took the opportunity to "cut leeks".
On the one hand, it sells arms.
Over the years, the United States has continuously asked NATO allies to share military expenditures and increase military expenditures. This time, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has achieved its wish.
Germany, Denmark, Italy and other countries announced that the proportion of military spending in GDP will increase to 2%, and Poland announced that it will increase this proportion from 2% to 3%.
U.S. military purchases have come one after another.
In addition to the large amount of weapons assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine, Germany announced the purchase of 35 US-made F-35 fighter jets.
The Polish Ministry of Defense signed a contract worth $4.75 billion on April 5 to purchase 250 M1A2 series "Abrams" main battle tanks from the United States.
Canada announced the purchase of 88 F-35A fighter jets at a total price of about $15 billion.
On the other hand, it sells energy.
Europe had previously been highly dependent on Russian energy. Under the all-round sanctions against Russia by the United States and Europe, Europe is facing an unprecedented energy crisis.
According to Reuters, U.S. LNG exports rose nearly 16 percent month-on-month in March to a record high, with gas exports to Europe accounting for the bulk.
In fact, the United States has always had a tradition of making war fortunes.
After the end of the Cold War, the United States continued to create turmoil around the world under the banner of anti-terrorism or humanitarianism. The war spread to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other countries, and more and more orders were placed by US military-industrial enterprises.
According to a 2021 survey report released by the Security Policy Reform Institute (SPRI), an independent think tank in the United States, from October 2001 to August 2021, the five major U.S. military industry giants (Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Boeing and Northrow) Prudential-Grumman) received $2.02 trillion in congressional appropriations.
According to a report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden on March 14, from 2017 to 2021, the global arms trade volume decreased by 4.6% compared with the previous five years, but during the same period, the US foreign arms sales increased by 14% against the trend. The proportion rose from 32% to 39%.
The Cato Institute, an American think tank, also released a report saying that in the past 10 years, the United States has sold heavy weapons worth $16 billion to 28 countries and regions with active military conflicts around the world.
Biden repeatedly accused Russia when he delivered a speech in Warsaw, Poland on March 26, while saying that he needed to prepare for a long-term battle.
According to this, public opinion interprets the real strategic intention of the United States: to continue to disrupt the situation in Russia and Ukraine to reap more war dividends.
Behind the United States' great war fortunes, it "kidnapped" people from all over the world, including the American people.
The deadly weapons that the United States has supplied to Ukraine are likely to fall into the hands of extremists and endanger the world.
Conflict and sanctions have brought refugee flows, capital flight, and energy shortages to Europe.
On a global scale, prices have skyrocketed, food security has been hit, supply chains have become increasingly fragile, the world economy has worsened, and the American society cannot escape the pain of inflation.
As former US Congressman Tulsi Gabbard said in an interview with Fox News: The military-industrial complex will make a lot of money from the war, but the people of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia will all pay a huge price for it.
Who is "fat" and "bitter" by the Russian-Ukrainian crisis?
The answer speaks for itself.
(Finish)