Clean Dictatorships, Messy Democracy

An interesting editorial from Larry Pressler, a former Republican senator, in which he argues that "the US should have a robust pro-India stance." Maybe so. But what's interesting is this:

America’s military-industrial complex, which I believe dominates the US foreign policy, favours Pakistan not only because it can sell it arms, but also because the Pentagon would often rather deal with dictatorships than democracies. When a top Pentagon official goes to Pakistan, he can meet with one general and get everything settled. On the other hand, if he goes to India, he has to talk to the Prime Minister, Parliament, the courts and, God forbid, the free press.

Italics mine. So one more person who believes that the military-industrial complex dominates the US foreign policy.

Would the world be a much safer place if there were no military-industrial complex? Specifially - if there were no military-industrial complex anywhere in the world, would there be fewer conflicts of the Kashmir, Iraq kind? Then, no one would have an financial interest in starting or keeping these conflicts going would they? Maybe. Iraq though would have happened anyway. On account of the oil-industrial complex. See this from the BBC.

And yes, dictatorships are so convenient for business aren't they. No wonder the US government likes them. Democracies are all right too, but ever so messy. They involve French manufacturers of Mirages, British Hawks, German HDWs, and then as Mr Pressler mentions - the number of people you need to meet!