Kissinger at 34

Nuclear disarmament may be closer than we think. While beltway defense “experts” perpetuate warfare with their glossy books, speaking tours, tales of combat adventure, and attempts to gain influence with our government for their financial benefit, the actual trend seems to me to be moving toward “outsourcing” the limited war that Kissinger wrote about in his book “Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy” (1957); a book that changed our defense strategy, modifying Kennan’s theory of “containment”.

This noise about Pelosi, torture, and the two limited wars we presently wage tends to distract the investigative journalists (those still employed) away from a key strategic initiative: nuclear disarmament.

Private military security companies enjoy huge growth and sophistication that few citizens note. The recently retired military personnel with experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan enjoy the prospect of more experience at a substantially greater financial reward. America stands to remain in both countries for the next fifteen years or more.

While at home, most citizens really do not care. Both wars have little relevancy to their lives except for the ongoing pricetag, quoted today in the news at approaching 1 trillion depending upon how you set up your Excel spreadsheet.

Since the early 70s, our military forces have (and will continue to be) consisted of volunteers. Now these volunteers pass out of the forces and into the realms of contract warfare. This phenomenon occurs in England and France as well. In fact those two countries outclass our contract quality and possess numerous contracts funded by our taxes through the Defense and State Departments. It’s really big business and very lucrative.

This may disturb some, but the time approaches when we can totally outsource defense. If we can really keep wars limited, we may be able to concentrate on nuclear disarmament. After all, the stakes will be too high and the business of limited war will be too profitable to allow them to become “Unlimited” or total as in push a red button or two.

http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/collections/film/holdings/wallace/
scroll down this archive to see Kissinger’s interview with Mike Wallace on July 13, 1958

Kissinger nailed it at the age of 34.