3 ms·

How does the West make money? We’re giving away billions worth of military equipment and ammunition. While also implementing oil and gas bans that will hurt Wes

by vimy 4y ago

How does the West make money? We’re giving away billions worth of military equipment and ammunition. While also implementing oil and gas bans that will hurt Western (the EU mostly) economies really bad.

gtsop 4y ago
Good question: 1. Many countries are dumping old military equipment on ukraine and re-stocking with new. (Profit for the military equipment providers) 2. The gas bans mean US based LNG is going to be transported to Europe as alternate gas source (profits for providers and transporters) The exonomy will be hurt in some ways (mostly impacting regular people) but it will benefit quite a few buisness sectora (on the expense of others)
- vimy 4y ago
  True, some sectors are profiting but overal the economy will suffer greatly. Electricity prices are already insane in Europe (the bill this month was higher than my parent’s pension) and it will only get worse by winter. Factories will have to shut down and people won’t be able to heat their homes. Already happened last winter but this year it will be on a much larger scale. And let’s not forget about the skyrocketing food prices. This war is pushing millions of middle class Europeans into poverty. The best thing for the economy would be to just give Russia what they want. So I don’t think the West is in it to make money. Not at all. If it was up to the Eastern EU countries they would send their armies to fight in Ukraine. They are scared of Russia. That’s their primary motivation, not profit. Other EU countries are alarmed but they lack the traumatic experience of Soviet occupation so they are less eager to fight. Still they are smart enough to realize if Russia succeeds the Baltics or Poland could be next. So the EU helps out of self preservation. The US just sees this as an opportunity to damage Russia, they prefer to stretch this war out. The EU wants it to end as fast as possible. I don’t see a profit motive.
cmrdporcupine 4y ago
I don't agree with the parent poster at all (see other comments) but it's fair to point out that certain sectors of the "western" economies are doing quite well out of this. In particular petrochemical companies and arms manufacturers. A Marxist analysis would see the whole thing as a conflict between competing spheres and sectors of the international capitalist class that has broken out into open violent conflict. Contradictions in interests that were not resolvable by statecraft or other means are now being "resolved" through wholesale destruction. Which is disturbingly similar to WWI.

by vimy 4y ago

gtsop 4y ago

Good question: 1. Many countries are dumping old military equipment on ukraine and re-stocking with new. (Profit for the military equipment providers) 2. The gas bans mean US based LNG is going to be transported to Europe as alternate gas source (profits for providers and transporters) The exonomy will be hurt in some ways (mostly impacting regular people) but it will benefit quite a few buisness sectora (on the expense of others)

vimy 4y ago
True, some sectors are profiting but overal the economy will suffer greatly. Electricity prices are already insane in Europe (the bill this month was higher than my parent’s pension) and it will only get worse by winter. Factories will have to shut down and people won’t be able to heat their homes. Already happened last winter but this year it will be on a much larger scale. And let’s not forget about the skyrocketing food prices. This war is pushing millions of middle class Europeans into poverty. The best thing for the economy would be to just give Russia what they want. So I don’t think the West is in it to make money. Not at all. If it was up to the Eastern EU countries they would send their armies to fight in Ukraine. They are scared of Russia. That’s their primary motivation, not profit. Other EU countries are alarmed but they lack the traumatic experience of Soviet occupation so they are less eager to fight. Still they are smart enough to realize if Russia succeeds the Baltics or Poland could be next. So the EU helps out of self preservation. The US just sees this as an opportunity to damage Russia, they prefer to stretch this war out. The EU wants it to end as fast as possible. I don’t see a profit motive.

cmrdporcupine 4y ago

I don't agree with the parent poster at all (see other comments) but it's fair to point out that certain sectors of the "western" economies are doing quite well out of this. In particular petrochemical companies and arms manufacturers. A Marxist analysis would see the whole thing as a conflict between competing spheres and sectors of the international capitalist class that has broken out into open violent conflict. Contradictions in interests that were not resolvable by statecraft or other means are now being "resolved" through wholesale destruction. Which is disturbingly similar to WWI.