When President Trump met with...

Editor's note: ...Malaysian, Japanese, South Korean (8% is a huge increase) and Chinese leaders, despite the diplomatic language and public focus on flag waving ceremonies, speeches and cooperation, these highly publicized diplomatic shows center on military defense spending (the US comes out on top of this arrangement). The core agenda involves strengthening security alliances for increased weapon sales, coordinating strategic military planning and stockpiling (Japan gets its first missiles this week) and taking a larger financial chunk out of respective GDPs of these countries for war capabilities. The primary beneficiaries are domestic and allied defense industries, particularly large defense contractors and the ecosystems supporting them (engineering firms, subcontractors, logistics, and tech suppliers). It is euphemistically called "peace through strength" (profits through defense). Over the past roughly 70 years has anyone seen any real lasting "peace?" Venezuela is likely about to get bombed. Weapons systems, military technology, and joint defense commitments are central to these discussions, making them fundamentally about shaping regional power dynamics through defense agreements and military readiness. When you watch this video news clip of President Trump & Co. meeting with their South Korean counterparts, note Rubio on the left. And as Japan increases its defense spending it will require increased LNG gas to run its industries.