In February, companies located in West Michigan received $986,388 in contracts from the military. The majority--as is generally the case--were awarded to aerospace companies located near Grand Rapids' airport. The contracts were awarded to the following companies:
* Eaton Aerospace received a contract from the Navy worth $300,000.
* L-3 Communications received two contracts from the Navy worth $290,810.
* GE Aviation Systems (formerly Smiths Aerospace) received two contracts worth $238,006.
* Dover Resources received two contracts worth $157,572.
As always, it is important to remember that these amounts are not abstractions. They are paid to these companies in exchange for components for military hardware that is used to maintain the United States military. In turn, that military is used to enforce US dominance, with the most obvious current example being the United States occupation of Iraq. The consequences of that dominance are staggering in Iraq, with more than 1.1 million Iraqis killed since the start of the occupation. By supplying components to the machines necessary to maintain the occupation, military contractors in West Michigan are tied to what is happening in Iraq.
