Thread by @IPS_DC

In 2017, total arms sales for the world’s 100 largest defense contractors topped $398 billion.

In honor of the 4th of July and its new extra-military branding, here's 14 tweets on these brutal weapons makers. (1/14)

Samuel Stebbins+Evan Comen / @USATODAY
bit.ly/2XeCjpm

#10: Almaz-Antey.

🇷🇺 Est. in Russia (by Putin)
💣 Arms sales: $8.6 billion
💰 Profit: $422.6 million

Almaz-Antey primarily manufactures surface-to-air missile systems for use by the Russian military.

It has been directly involved in the violent occupation of Crimea. (2/14)

#9: Leonardo.

🇮🇹 Est. in Italy
💣 Arms sales: $8.9 billion
💰 Profit: $310.3 million

Leonardo makes information systems, aircraft, torpedoes, ammunition, etc. The U.S. is one of its biggest customers.

It also sold equipment to Syrian authorities during the 2011 uprising.(3/14)

#8: @thalesgroup.

🇫🇷 Est. in France
💣 Arms sales: $9.0 billion
💰 Profit: $931.1 million

Thales offers products/services in land, air, sea, and cyber defense.

It has a missile radar deal with the French Navy, which has supported the war in Afghanistan. (4/14)

#7: @Airbus.

🌍 Trans-European
💣 Arms sales: $11.3 billion
💰 Profit: $3.3 billion

Airbus's primary business is in commercial/private aircraft, but it is Europe's 2nd largest defense contractor.

It has sold fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, the main destroyer of Yemen. (5/14)

#6: @generaldynamics.

🇺🇸 Est. in U.S.
💣 Arms sales: $19.5 billion
💰 Profit: $2.9 billion

General Dynamics has sold missiles, warships, submarines, rockets, and more to the U.S. military since 1952.

It has also played a main role in Trump's family separation policy. (6/14)

#5: @northropgrumman.

🇺🇸 Est. in U.S.
💣 Arms sales: $22.4 billion
💰 Profit: $2.0 billion

Northrop Grumman makes varied military tech. 2 of its U.S. contracts in 2017 totaled >$1 billion.

It was a VERY early advocate of war in Iran in order to sell the U.S. more drones.(7/14)

#4: @BAESystemsInc.

🇬🇧 Est. in U.K.
💣 Arms sales: $22.9 billion
💰 Profit: $1.1 billion

BAE Systems builds ground combat vehicles+fighter jets.

It has sold Saudi Arabia billions of dollars' worth of fighter jets, which were then used to decimate Yemen. (8/14)

#3: @Raytheon.

🇺🇸 Est. in U.S.
💣 Arms sales: $23.9 billion
💰 Profit: $2.0 billion

Raytheon makes masses of guided missiles, bombs,+torpedoes, as well as radars/other systems.

It supplies these to 80+ countries, incl. human rights abusers Israel, Saudi Arabia, + UAE. (9/14)

#2: @Boeing.

🇺🇸 Est. in U.S.
💣 Arms sales: $26.9 billion
💰 Profit: $8.2 billion

While the bulk of Boeing's revenue is commercial, it makes a wide variety of fighter jets, surveillance+drones.

It has been partnered with human rights abuser Saudi Arabia for 70+ yrs. (10/14)

Finally, #1: @LockheedMartin.

🇺🇸 Est. in U.S.
💣 Arms sales: $44.9 billion
💰 Profit: $2.0 billion

Lockheed Martin is by far the largest defense contractor in the world.

In addition to working w/ Yemen-destroying Saudi Arabia, it has recently encouraged war with Iran. (11/14)

These contractors are just a tiny sampling of the hundreds of worldwide companies that profit from war.

When 4 out of the top 5 of these contractors are U.S.-based, it's not hard to see why the U.S. likes to be at war so often:

Money.
(12/14)

And when these contractors are raking in billions in profits for making the machines that destroy nations, remember whose money that is.

While nearly 24¢ of every tax dollar goes to the Pentagon and military, just 5¢ goes to provide pay and benefits for our troops. (13/14)

So tomorrow on the #FourthOfJuly, when Trump's tank-laden ode to the military invades the streets of D.C., it's not the troops that he's celebrating.

It's these companies, and his rich, rich friends that run them. (14/14)