War is a racket!
November 11, 2008 - One of the best summations of war
is given by Major General Smedley D. Butler in his book, War is a Racket:
“In the World War [I] a mere handful garnered the profits of the conflict. At least 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires were made in the United States during the World War. That many admitted their huge blood gains in their income tax returns. How many other war millionaires falsified their tax returns no one knows.
“How many of these war millionaires shouldered a rifle? How many of them dug a trench? How many of them knew what it meant to go hungry in a rat-infested dug-out? How many of them spent sleepless, frightened nights, ducking shells and shrapnel and machine gun bullets? How many of them parried a bayonet thrust of an enemy? How many of them were wounded or killed in battle?
“Out of war nations acquire additional territory, if they are victorious. They just take it. This newly acquired territory promptly is exploited by the few - the selfsame few who wrung dollars out of blood in the war. The general public shoulders the bill.
“And what is this bill?
“This bill renders a horrible accounting. Newly placed gravestones. Mangled bodies. Shattered minds. Broken hearts and homes. Economic instability. Depression and all its attendant miseries. Back-breaking taxation for generations and generations.”
Today, Veteran’s Day in the United States, we should remember that the invasion and occupation of Iraq has resulted in over 1.2 million civilian deaths, as well as creating over 4 million refugees. We should remember that our present wars are expanding beyond the boundaries of containment.
We should also remember our recent history and the legacy of war; maybe then we can prevent it from repeating itself.
