🚀 go-pugleaf

>From: ethan@sunsite.unc.edu  (Ethan Clauset)

>From 1980-1996 (the only years for which I have
>figures handy) the US continued to pour money into the indonesian
>military: $60 million in direct military aid & training and $600 million
>in pentagon-negotiated arms sales.  US arms merchants sold $200 million in
>"goods" to Jakarta directly in that same period.

Well it sounds like a lot but you have to subtract the kickbacks to Clintons
reelection campaign.  It didn't all go for machetes and bullets.

> what's the net.libertarian position on federal government
>responsibility for extra-constitutional foreign policy disasters?

Any time the people allow the federal govt to operate outside the Constitution
the people are responsible for any disaters which result.  And the chances are
very good disaster will be the result of allowing the federal govt to operate
outside the Constitution.

We did not hire the federal govt to be arms merchants to the world.  Or even
half of it.  And at least until they can actually show a profit at it resulting
in a tax cut I believe they should be forbidden to sell any arms to anyone who
is not an american.

And if they sell an arm to one american they should have to sell the same type
of arm at the same price to any other american.

Tom Bailey