Rare Earths, Endless Wars: The Pentagon's New Resource Grab
📰 THE STORY: The Independent reports that the Trump administration invested taxpayer funds in an Oklahoma rare earth miner to lessen reliance on China, crucial for smartphones, EVs, and military technology. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The US has a long history of resource imperialism, from the United Fruit Company's 1954 CIA-backed coup in Guatemala to secure bananas, to
the 2019 lithium coup in Bolivia to secure minerals essential for EV batteries. This isn't about 'national security' but securing raw materials for US industrial and military dominance. Double Standard: When China invests in resource extraction overseas, it's framed as 'debt trap diplomacy' or 'expansionism' threatening global stability. When the US government pours taxpayer money into domestic or
allied resource ventures, it's 'strategic investment' and 'loosening the grip' of rivals. The actual exploitation of land and labor is conveniently ignored in both scenarios. Follow the Money: The Pentagon isn't investing in a clean energy future; it's investing in the supply chain for advanced weaponry. Rare earths are critical for precision-guided missiles, stealth aircraft, and naval propulsion
systems. This isn't just about economic competition with China; it's about subsidizing the military-industrial complex's access to vital components for future conflicts, generating massive profits for defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, whose stocks consistently rise amidst geopolitical tensions. 💡 THE PATTERN: This initiative fits neatly into the historical pattern of US