Pentagon's 'Burden Sharing' Scheme Is Just New Arms Sales
📰 THE STORY: A Bloomberg article highlights a Pentagon official's visit to Japan, where the US is pressuring its ally to increase defense spending to counter China's rise and reduce the burden on American taxpayers. This is presented as a strategic move to strengthen regional alliances. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Japan's post-World War II 'peace constitution,' largely
imposed by the U.S. after its surrender in 1945, famously limited its military to self-defense. This 'rearmament' push by the US is a direct reversal of decades of policy, and coincides with Japan's 2022 decision to acquire 'counter-strike capabilities' – essentially, offensive weapons – marking a significant departure from its pacifist stance. Double Standard: When Western governments like the US
and UK increase their military budgets, it's framed as 'essential security' or 'deterrence.' When China or Russia increase theirs, it's 'aggression' or 'escalation.' In this case, US pressure on Japan to expand its military is sold as 'burden sharing,' while any similar expansion by China is pathologized as a threat to global stability, ignoring the provocative growth of US military bases (over
750 globally) and naval deployments in the region. Follow the Money: This isn't about 'burden sharing' for the American taxpayer; it's about profit sharing for the US military-industrial complex. Major US defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon stand to gain massively from increased Japanese defense spending. Lockheed Martin alone reported over $67 billion in net sales in