“And herein lies a key ambiguity about large defence contractors: they are pillars of the free market economy whose shareholders are supposed to provide oversight, while receiving extensive state support which insulates them from market vagaries and meaningful oversight. One thing, however, is constant: this either-or status has resulted in companies that are often badly managed and regularly find themselves in financial difficulties, despite their government’s efforts, sometimes illegal, to find them business.” Military Industrial ComplexDefense Industry Book:The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade Source: The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade
“Military thinkers and actors dominated the new White House and the key departments of state, both military and civilian. Over thirty senior arms industry executives, consultants or advisers were placed in key positions in the military and across government... More than half a dozen important policy positions in the Bush administration were occupied by Lockheed Martin executives, lobbyists or lawyers, reflecting the influence of defence contractors across the breadth of government.” War On TerrorMilitary Industrial ComplexBush Administration Book:The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade Source: The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade