TL;DR:

The U.S. doesn’t need overt military rule to function as a military dictatorship. The military-industrial complex, driven by defence contractors, entrenched career arms lobbyists, and revolving-door policymakers, controls national priorities, ensuring perpetual war for profit and making a mockery of democracy.

 

 

You don’t need tanks rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue or generals in crisp uniforms barking orders from Capitol Hill to live under a military dictatorship. In the United States, the reality is far subtler—a slick, corporate version of militarised power where defence contractors, lobbyists, and revolving-door policymakers dictate national priorities. If the traditional military dictatorship is an iron fist, America’s version is a velvet glove, polished to perfection by corporate PR and patriotic slogans.

 

A Nation Perpetually at War

America’s love affair with war is no secret. The United States has been at war for most of its modern history. From the Cold War to the Global War on Terror, military intervention has been as predictable as the Super Bowl. Why? Because war pays—just not for you or me. The defence budget for 2024 alone was a staggering $886 billion, larger than the combined military budgets of the next ten countries. This isn’t about defence; it’s about ensuring the war machine never runs out of steam. Each bomb dropped, missile fired, or jet sold puts millions in the pockets of defence contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing. These companies, in turn, ensure the cycle continues by lobbying Congress with the kind of cash that makes the education budget look like chump change.

 

The Real Generals of Washington

This is where things get interesting. In a traditional military dictatorship, generals run the show. In the U.S., retired generals swap uniforms for suits and head straight to the boardrooms of defence companies. Take Lloyd Austin, the current Secretary of Defense, who came into office fresh off the board of Raytheon. Or James Mattis, who joined General Dynamics after leaving the Pentagon. This revolving door between the military, government, and private industry ensures that decisions about war and peace are made with corporate interests front and centre. But it’s not just about individuals; it’s about systems. Nearly half of the Pentagon’s budget goes to private contractors. The military doesn’t just fight wars—it outsources them, creating a shadow army of private companies that profit from perpetual conflict.

 

The Politicians in Uniform

While generals may swap fatigues for suits, many politicians never abandon their allegiance to the military-industrial complex. Figures like Joe Biden, John McCain, Hilary Clinton and John Kerry (to name but a few) were all ardent power-brokers for the American military intervention, duplicitously promoting democracy or protecting national security, whilst shamefully working for a single, underlying military-sponsored agenda. Biden’s long Senate career saw him backing numerous military engagements, from the invasion of Iraq to the escalation in Afghanistan. He laid the groundwork for the Ukraine coup over a decade before the Ukraine-Russia broke out. He oversaw the mammoth military funding once the war was underway .

 

John McCain, a decorated war veteran, became one of Congress’s most vocal proponents of military force, consistently pushing for aggressive foreign policies. Even John Kerry, often seen as more diplomatic, played a significant role in legitimising military interventions during his tenure as Secretary of State. These politicians, and many like them, act as civilian faces for a system that prioritises military solutions over diplomatic ones, ensuring that the war machine keeps turning regardless of who holds office.

 

Foreign Influence and Military Aid

While the military-industrial complex thrives domestically, foreign powers like Israel have also entrenched themselves deeply within the U.S. political system. Since 1948, Israel has received more U.S. foreign aid than any other nation, amounting to approximately $158 billion in military assistance as of 2023. The current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allocates $38 billion over ten years (2019–2028), ensuring Israel remains the top recipient of U.S. military funding as it has done for over half a century. This financial support solidifies political alliances, with many American lawmakers staunchly backing Israeli interests.

 

A striking example is Congressman Brian Mast, who, after serving in the U.S. Army, volunteered with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and who is often seen walking the corridors of American power in an IDF uniform. The corridors, incidentally, are draped with pro-Israel flags and signs…. Such cases highlight the depth of foreign influence, where allegiance to international military interests often intertwines with domestic policy-making.

 

Democracy or Dictatorship?

You might be wondering, “Isn’t Congress supposed to check this power?” In theory, yes. In practice, no. Defence contractors spread their operations across as many congressional districts as possible, ensuring every senator and representative has a financial incentive to keep the money flowing. Cutting the defence budget doesn’t just mean fewer bombs—it means fewer jobs, fewer votes, and fewer re-election campaigns.

 

And then there’s the American public, sold on the myth that a massive military is synonymous with freedom and security. Hollywood churns out war movies that glorify soldiers and their sacrifices; sport is completely militarized with every major sports final featuring a flyover by fighter jets or, at very least, a military band. Criticising the military isn’t just unpopular; it’s practically taboo.

 

The Global Reach of the War Machine

Domestically, the U.S. military dominates politics, but internationally, it operates as an empire. With over 750 military bases in more than 80 countries, the U.S. projects power on a scale unmatched in human history. These bases aren’t just about defence; they’re about ensuring that American corporate interests—whether oil, trade, or tech—are protected at all costs.

 

But what’s the cost? For the people living under the shadow of these bases, it’s often instability, violence, and economic exploitation. For American taxpayers, it’s crumbling infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and skyrocketing inequality.

 

Militarisation at Home

The military-industrial complex doesn’t stop at the border. Domestically, America’s police forces are increasingly militarised, armed with surplus military equipment designed for battlefields, not city streets. Protests are met with riot gear, tear gas and Tasers, while surveillance programs blur the line between national security and Orwellian control.

 

It’s no wonder that America often feels more like a security state than a democracy. And yet, the real architects of this system—the executives at defence contractors, the lobbyists, and the policymakers—remain largely invisible, their power hidden behind layers of bureaucracy and PR.

 

The Velvet Glove of the Military-Industrial Complex

So, is the U.S. a military dictatorship? Not in the traditional sense. There are no tanks on every corner or generals declaring martial law. But the bipartisan mechanisms of power are so deeply tied to military and corporate interests that democracy often feels like a formality. As the anarchist saying goes, ‘You can vote for who you want, but the government always wins’. Elections happen, but the military-industrial complex remains untouched, no matter who sits in the Oval Office. This isn’t a dictatorship of generals; it’s a dictatorship of systems, driven by profit and perpetuated by fear. The war machine doesn’t need to seize power—it already has it.

 

The Illusion of Difference

When comparing the U.S. to overt military dictatorships like North Korea or Argentina’s military junta of the 1970s, the differences may seem stark at first glance. In North Korea, the military controls every aspect of life with brutal, overt repression. Argentina’s Dirty War saw thousands of citizens ‘disappeared’ under a regime that ruled through fear and violence. Yet, the U.S. employs more sophisticated methods—subtle economic coercion, corporate media control, and pervasive surveillance.

 

The repression isn’t always visible, but it’s no less real. The difference lies in presentation: while traditional dictatorships use blunt force, the American model relies on the soft power of propaganda, economic dependency, and the illusion of choice. Both systems, however, serve the same ultimate goal—the concentration of power and the suppression of dissent.

 

The Well-Oiled Racket

The war machine isn’t lurking in the shadows—it’s right out in the open, greased by corporate cash and sold with a flag-waving smile. If you’re waiting for the generals to roll in, you’re already too late. The uniforms are just better tailored, the propaganda more polished, and the profits too sweet to stop. This isn’t democracy; it’s a well-oiled racket. And unless we wrench the gears from their hands, the cycle of war and profit will keep spinning—with us footing the bill.

 

 

Glossary:

• Military-Industrial Complex: The network of relationships between governments, armed forces, and defence industries that influence policy and spending.
• Revolving Door: The movement of personnel between roles as legislators, regulators, and members of the industries affected by the legislation and regulation.
• Defence Contractors: Companies that supply military goods and services.
• Shadow Army: Private military companies and contractors that perform military functions typically handled by state armed forces.
• Dirty War: A term used to describe the period of state terrorism in Argentina from 1976 to 1983, during which the government engaged in widespread human rights abuses.

Footnotes:

1. U.S. Department of Defense Budget for 2024: https://www.defense.gov
2. Lockheed Martin Annual Report 2023: https://www.lockheedmartin.com
3. Raytheon Board Memberships: https://www.rtx.com
4. General Dynamics Corporate Overview: https://www.gd.com
5. Congressional Budget Office Report on Defence Spending: https://www.cbo.gov
6. Human Rights Watch Report on Argentina’s Dirty War: https://www.hrw.org
7. Overview of U.S. Military Bases Abroad: https://www.globalsecurity.org
8. Analysis of Police Militarization in the U.S.: https://www.aclu.org
9. U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/u-s-foreign-aid-to-israel
10. Brian Mast Biography: https://mast.house.gov/about/full-biography