Los Angeles Times

Referring to Eisenhower's warnings about the power of the military-industrial complex is apt, considering Bush made his intent to increase the Pentagon budget known to the American public during his State of the Union address. Privatizing security has lined the pockets of war profiteers and further undermined our power, as U.S. citizens, to hold our government accountable. Democratic states, not profit-seeking corporations, should control the use of force. And the fact that defense contractors wield more influence than the American public in determining U.S. foreign strategy is of great concern. Note that a recent University of Chicago survey found that Americans want more federal spending on education and healthcare and less on defense. All the more unfortunate that billions of our tax dollars are being wasted on unethical military interventions.

BEN COHEN
Burlington, Vt.
The writer, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, is president of Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities.