This speech was given by Johannes Stern, editor of the German edition of the <i>World Socialist Web Site</i>, at the rally of the Socialist Equality Party (SGP) on October 21 at Hermannplatz in Berlin-Neukölln.
US is a top world defense spender and American military companies are top Washington contractors, earning billions from arms sails. The conflict in the Middle East will likely boost their profits even further, making their stock a perfect yet somewhat controversial investment.
The German parliament looks set to pass a 2024 budget incorporating the largest military spending since World War II. This will be paid for by enormous cuts across every social sector.
Verdi’s federal congress fully supported the escalation of the war in Ukraine and the horrendous rearmament programme for Germany’s armed forces. The union undertook to ensure that the billions this requires come at workers’ expense.