Lafarge's Syria Fund: When 'Terrorist' Money Is Just Good Business
While Lafarge faces fines for directly bankrolling groups like ISIS to keep its cement plants running, one might wonder about the 'legitimate' institutions that indirectly fund perpetual conflict. For instance, the US, which itself designated ISIS a terrorist organization, annually provides billions in military aid to various actors in volatile regions. These funds often fuel multi-sided
conflicts, creating the very instability that allows groups like ISIS to thrive, and providing lucrative opportunities for companies like Lafarge (and weapon manufacturers funded by your tax dollars). It’s a peculiar double standard, isn't it? A private company gets prosecuted for making pragmatic payments in a warzone, while governments are applauded for selling advanced weaponry to regimes with
questionable human rights records, fueling the very conflicts that destabilize regions for decades. Imagine if the same scrutiny applied to the politicians whose votes enable arms deals to despots. (Don't hold your breath.)