Globalizing Militaries
Reservations expressed by former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower regarding the growth of the US military-industrial complex are reviewed & reevaluated in light of the globalization that characterizes the contemporary era. The internationalization of military forces -- primarily in the form of multinational militaries serving as UN peacekeeping units -- is described, & the dangers of using military might to exert unwanted influence & expand hegemonic control are explored. In addition, changing technologies have made the conduct of war more distant (via computer simulations), as well as more immediate (via live media feeds). Organizational & operational changes that take place in militaries as global capitalism spreads are described, & tendencies toward transnationalization are contrasted with the increased privatization of security services. Three "oligopolies" created by military-industrial-financial linkages on a global scale -- the Caryle Group, the Cohen group, & Halliburton Co -- are analyzed. K. Hyatt Stewart