'It costs Ukrainian lives': Internet backs Bernie Sanders as he says Congress must rein in war profiteering

WASHINGTON, DC: Senator Bernie Sanders took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, April 11, to accuse defense contractors of war profiteering amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. 

He further called upon Congress to take back "excess payment" and create a tax for contractors drawing huge profits.

Senator Bernie Sanders says it's time for Congress to rein in war profiteering

On X (formerly Twitter), Sanders shared a clip, in which he's seen saying, "We are spending $900 billion a year before the proposed $100 billion supplement on military spending."

He added, "Do you think that there has been in Congress or within the American people, serious discussion about whether we need to spend ten times more than the next ten nations? And the answer is, no, there has not been."

"What role do the defense contractors play in shaping the American foreign policy? Should we be concerned that the half a dozen or so major defense contractors are seeing record-breaking profits? That they have substantially raised prices with many of the arms that they're selling to the United States and around the rest of the world?" asked Sanders. 

The Vermont Senator pointed to the state of Ukraine and noted, "The price of Stinger missiles has gone up by seven times. Ukraine is getting less help while the defense contractors are doing massive stock buybacks."

He asserted, "The other issue that we don't discuss is the role of global oligarchy. What's going on in the world, unbelievably, at a rapid rate, is the people on top ... becoming much wealthier. You're seeing alliances, Elon Musk working with Saudi Arabia, etc ... Global alliances of the very rich and powerful, while the people at the bottom are suffering."

At the end of the clip, Sanders highlighted the "failures" of American foreign policy, citing the Vietnam War and the war on terror.  

His caption for the post read, "When defense contractors pad their profits, fewer weapons reach Ukrainians on the frontlines. Such greed doesn’t just cost US taxpayers; it costs Ukrainian lives. Congress must rein in war profiteering, take back excess payments, and create a tax on windfall profits."

Internet reacts to Bernie Sanders' post about defense contractors padding their profits

One wrote, "No. More. War. How hard is that? Probably hard af. Go do it!" and another said, "This war costs Ukrainian lives. Time for a peace agreement."

"This guy is so good," declared a person.

Someone else noted, "I agree with you on take back excess payments, but they also shouldn't get paid more when they bid and go over what their they bided. they also shouldn't keep getting paid if they don't deliver on time, they should have refund for things that don't work." 

An individual opined, "Whenever there is no profit for MCI and contractors the war would end and People's lives would be saved!"

"Congress profits from it before everyone. How about stopping that," remarked one more. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.