TODAY, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is 179 days old. Not because Russia wants a long war. Military analyses in late February suggested a quick victory for Russia.
But the quick victory never came. A Russian strategy gone wrong? Perhaps. Neither did Ukraine want a long war. The truth is the United States and European North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries and their arms suppliers want a long war.
Even if Russia wins the war, the West will ensure the war continues by other means. We are seeing this in Afghanistan and Iraq, and even in countries where the West's boots haven't been.
Yes, they are making insurgencies work for their national interests. An early sign of this is already being displayed in Crimea.
Because perpetuating the war makes business sense to them. Ugly though a war is, it fills the coffers of Western nations (not to mention the purses of the politicians and media owners) and the pockets of arms manufacturers.
In the calculation of Gravitas Plus, a digital news channel, of the top 10 weapons manufacturers, seven are from the West — six from the US and one from Britain. Little wonder they are called the big guns in the business.
Is this why British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in Kyiv twice promising lethal weapons to Ukraine? Is this why Liz Truss, who wants so badly to be Britain's next prime minister, is hawking weapons and monetary support for Ukraine? Never underestimate the excesses of capitalism.
And there is shareholder value, too. Take Lockheed Martin Corporation (listed as LMT in the New York Stock Exchange), one of the big six in the US.
On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, its shares were trading at US$330. But on Friday, it was a high of US$440. Just three days ago, LMT secured a US$7.6 billion contract to procure 129 F-35 stealth aircraft, according to Yahoo News. Expected to be ready for delivery in October 2024, some of the F-35 aircraft are meant for foreign customers.
In 2023 and 2024, up to 153 such aircraft are expected to be delivered by LMT and thereafter, 156 a year. According to the website, F-35 is the largest revenue generator for LMT, with 68 per cent of the net sales coming from the segment.
Northrop Grumman, another US big gun, is busy making money out of people's misery, too. On Feb 24, it was trading at US$395.62. On Friday, Northrop was priced at US$490.75. Ditto Airbus Group, Textron and GD. British BAE Systems, too, is profiting from the Russian invasion. On Feb 24, it was trading at £594.80.
On Friday, it surged to £803. And their chief executives are speaking up the share prices as they laugh all the way to the bank. Nothing like an ugly good business.
Like Gravitas Plus, we urge the Western nations to revisit the wise words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th US president, who warned of the dangers of an arms race with the Soviet Union thus: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired in the final sense is a theft from those who hunger and are not fed.
Those who are cold and not clothed." They didn't listen then. Perhaps they never will.