Prophets of War

In this summary you will learn

• How Lockheed Martin began and grew
• How it became a partner with the Pentagon
• How Lockheed Martin plays a role in US foreign policy

getAbstract rating

Why you should read Prophets of War

Muckraking author William Hartung delves into the military-industrial complex with a corporate profile of its largest, most successful beneficiary, Lockheed Martin. Lockheed has survived bankruptcy and lean financial times, and Hartung contends that it has thrived in part through questionable business practices, milking taxpayers of billions and abetting Pentagon malfeasance. Hartung weaves a tale of the interface of armaments and politics, and says alleged Pentagon incompetence benefited both Lockheed and individual states with pork-barrel military projects. This complex, well-told story states that Lockheed eventually garnered $25 billion annually in defense contracts and now plays an outsized role in affecting US foreign policy. getAbstract recommends this book as important background reading about the corporate-military complex, the shadowy processes that may affect policy and in the economic history of the US defense industry.

About the Author

William Hartung, Director of Arms and Security Initiatives at the New America Freedom Foundation, has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times.