“Buy American”: Trump to Boost Exports of Lethal US Drones to “Create Jobs”

By Jason Ditz

With drone warfare a hot business in recent years, the US has kept a careful handle on who they allow to buy US-made lethal drones. Reports suggest that’s about to change, with President Trump set to ease the rules substantially, opening up sales to dozens of new customers.

This isn’t just a scramble for growing arms sales abroad, which is a top administration priority. It also reflects manufacturers’ concern about overseas competitors, with fear that if the US makers don’t get the business, someone else will.

China and Israel are major competition for the US in drone sales, and both are often willing to do business with nations that wouldn’t be America’s first choice. The US export market has previously focused primarily on surveillance drones, not armed ones.

But it’s clear there are a lot of customers for these weapons of war, and US officials are worried about getting “outplayed” on the international arms market by competitors. While it’s not clear exactly when the move will be made, it will mean more deadly drones on the market, and ultimately, in the skies.

By Jason Ditz / Republished with permission / ANTIWAR.COM / Report a typo

Mattis Wants to Make US Military Even More Lethal, Needs Another $50 Billion

By Jason Ditz

Speaking to Congressional Republicans during a visit to Greenbrier resort on Thursday, Defense Secretary James Mattis announced that he believes the US military needs to be made “more lethal,” and pushing for yet more money.

After a massive military spending increase last year, Mattis says he wants another $50 billion tacked on for next year. He mocked the idea of the military being an “equal opportunity employer” and emphasized lethality.

Mattis had similarly pushed the idea of making US troops more lethal in September, in the context of pushing for more predictable spending increases. This time as well he complained about continuing resolutions as a funding source, wanting money set out for a longer term.

Mattis says he is hoping to get 3-5% increases annually over the rate of inflation to both build readiness and to compete with Russia and China. The US already far outspends all nations on their military.

Presenting the push for more funds as a push for lethality appears to be popular with hawks, though in practice the US military already kills a massive number of people as it is, and doesn’t seem to be approaching the limit of how many it could kill in a pinch.

By Jason Ditz / Republished with permission / ANTIWAR.COM / Report a typo

Source from The Anti-Media