Carl Levin and the Military Industrial Complex

We reported earlier this week that Michigan Senator Carl Levin voted against any timetable for US troops to be out of Afghanistan. He, like the majority of those in the Senate voted against a bill put forth by Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold.

Senator Levin also announced this week that the Senate Armed Services Committee, which Levin chairs, completed a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2011.

Included in this bill is language that would end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of discriminating against gays in the military, but it also includes further funding for the US military operation in Afghanistan & Pakistan. Levin states, “I am pleased that the Committee provided funding, authorities, and capability to defeat al Qaeda, its affiliates and other violent organizations, with a major focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Levin goes on to say that one of the highlights of the proposed military budget is that it, “Enhances the capability of the armed forces to conduct counterinsurgency operations and applies the lessons of Iraq to Afghanistan.” Of course Senator Levin doesn’t clarify what he means by the counter-insurgency techniques that were used in Iraq and should be applied in Afghanistan. These are two distinctly different countries, with different terrain, histories, insurgencies and ethnic groups. To continue to apply the same counterinsurgency tactics will be as disastrous for the civilians in Afghanistan as it was for the civilians in Iraq.

Military Industrial Complex

The proposed budget for the US military in this bill would be $725.9 billion, with the funding breakdown in three main areas:

• $548.9 billion for the base budget of the DOD
• $159.3 billion for overseas contingency operations (OCO), which funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
• $17.7 billion for national security programs in the DOE and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

This proposed budget will continue the level of military funding that the nation saw during the 8 years under Bush and it reflects Senator Levin’s commitment to militarism, despite his “progressive” public image.

Levin also made it a point to announce this week that Michigan will “benefit” from the proposed military budget for 2011. The bill includes funding for Michigan based military contractors and universities. Levin states, “By connecting Michigan universities and companies with vital defense needs, we make our troops safer, stronger and better prepared for the threats they face.”

Some of the Department of Defense (DOD) funded projects in Michigan would include production of the Army’s Stryker armored vehicle, Abrams main battle tank, Bradley Fighting vehicles, grenade launchers and the Lightweight 155mm Howitzer.

Michigan Universities, which will receive funding for DOD research projects are: Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, Wayne State University, Oakland University, Henry Ford Community College, Michigan technical University, Eastern Michigan University and Central Michigan University.

What all of this military funding means is that US taxpayers will be subsidizing private industry and public universities to further the US military industrial complex, a structure which Senator Levin seems quite entrenched in.