“It would have been far cheaper (not to say safer) for the average American who pays the bills to stay out of foreign entanglements. For a very few this racket brings in fancy profits, but the cost of operating is always transferred to the people – who do not profit.” – War is a Racket
In April 2022, just weeks following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly pressured President Zelensky into ending peace talks with Russia. With the 15-point peace deal off the table, the war is now entering its eighth month with no end in sight. It is now obvious that the Russian-Ukraine conflict is nothing more than a proxy war between NATO and Russia, with Ukraine and its people, stuck in the middle, with threats of nuclear weapons on the way.
The National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed following the end of World War II as a security force, where member countries assisted one another against potential attacks. In 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, NATO agreed not to invite any former USSR countries into their organization or expand its operation toward Russia. That promise quickly ended when Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary joined NATO in 1999. Now, over 700 miles of Russia’s borders are adjoined by a NATO nation. With Finland poised to be added, that number will double. Even Ukraine itself is being tagged for inclusion.
Instigating war is a profitable business for a fortunate few. Numerous companies and contractors lead the list of war profiteers who provide aircraft, missiles, artillery, vehicles, arms, and more. Their literal survival is secured by a continuous increase in defense spending. This cozy relationship between the military and private defense firms forms the military-industrial complex, which advocates for ongoing wars around the globe.
In Smedley Butler’s 1935 book, “War is a Racket”, Smedley warns of the dangers of war following his 34-year career as a Marine in several skirmishes from the Philippine-American War to World War I. As Smedley notes, American wars are rarely waged in defense of the United States and its citizens, but increasingly for the benefit of a few at the expense of the many. Butler reveals that although the profit motive is the biggest reason for war, those who pay the ultimate price have no voice and no vested interest. By removing profits and allowing war only when direct threats can be proven, the number of incidents would be greatly reduced, and the profiteers would be equally diminished.
Today there are 75 million men and women around the world preparing for battle, whether in the immediate armed forces, the reserves, or paramilitary units. The United States Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest single employer in the world, with nearly 3 million personnel, including 1.4 million active-duty members. As such, the US armed forces have the largest military budget with $778 billion, more than triple the budget of the Chinese army, which comes in second at $252 billion. Yet despite a continuous parade of war since 1900, the DOD’s stated mission remains to deter war and ensure the national security of the nation.
“War is the health of the State” was a phrase coined during World War I to suggest that the government is not only the most powerful during times of war but also the most unchallenged. In 1900, the national debt of the United States was 1 million dollars. By 2022, it is 31 trillion. Much of this debt came from continuous warfare with rare gaps of peace from one conquest to the next. Yet these wars were fought almost exclusively for the interests of US businesses, bankers, and Wall Street. It is the people who pay with blood and treasure and never profit. Instead, they forfeit their lives through death, disability, and mental ruin, with chronic economic hardship leading to further losses of liberty.
Using patriotism to tug at the heartstrings, we lose our prized independence to a collective war effort. By ending the peaceful cooperation needed in a free society, war instead leads to destruction and economic uncertainty. Those who refuse to join the effort, the draft dodgers, and dissenters, continue to be shamed for their resistance. To oppose the Russian-Ukrainian war, for example, is to be a Putin puppet.
Ironically, President Zelensky of Ukraine won his most recent election as an anti-war candidate when his Servant of the People party defeated the establishment party of war. Less than three years later, Zelensky would end peace talks and allow the war to rage on, putting himself and his own people at enormous risk. Why would he do such a thing? Well, follow the money. There are sure to be profits landing in the pockets of those advocating and intensifying the conflict.
War is hell. And should be avoided at all costs.
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