People are saying "Why haven't we learned from our past?"

[hollygolively]

There are a number of people on this site and others wondering why we can't learn from our past.

To which, I would say, "We have." The Military Industrial Complex learned the lessons of the past quite well. They learned that politicians are more than willing to sacrifice our troops and our treasury in return for campaign contributions. Endless wars mean endless profits for the MIC, and endless campaign funds for politicians.

Smedly Butler wrote the book War is a Racket. He was right. It's less than 80 pages:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/War_is_a_Racket/NGIUCgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover

[stillcool]

1. We sure have.. here's a quote from the General

thanks for the link!

"I spent thirty-three years in the Marines, most of my time being a hlgh class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism.
I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1910-1912. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City [Bank] boys to collect revenue in. I helped in the rape of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street.
In China in 1927 l helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.
I had a swell racket. l was rewarded with honors, medals, promotions. l might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate a racket in three city districts. The Marines operated on three continents."
General Smedley Butler, former US Marine Corps Commandant, 1935

https://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/US_Interventions_WBlumZ.html
Following its bombing of Iraq in 1991, the United States wound up with military bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
Following its bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, the United States wound up with military bases in Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Hungary, Bosnia and Croatia.
Following its bombing of Afghanistan in 2001-2, the United States wound up with military bases in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Yemen and Djibouti.
Following its bombing and invasion of Iraq in 2003, the United States wound up with Iraq.
This is not very subtle foreign policy. Certainly not covert. The men who run the American Empire are not easily embarrassed.
And that is the way the empire grows-a base in every neighborhood, ready to be mobilized to put down any threat to imperial rule, real or imagined. Fifty-eight years after world War II ended, the United States still has major bases in Germany and Japan; fifty ears after the end of the Korean War, tens of thousands of American armed forces continue to be stationed in South Korea.
.... we must maintain the mechanisms for deterring potential competitors from even aspiring to a larger regional or global role."
1996: "We will engage terrestrial targets someday-ships, airplanes, land targets-from space.... We're going to fight in space. We're going to fight from space and we're going to fight into space.

[johnp3907]

2. Yes.

I don’t understand why people believe the lies that lead to military action instead of following the money. I guess it’s tough for some people to believe that this is how the world works.

[JI7]

3. Biden has learned and he has lived through a lot. I'm thinking a younger president

may not have done this.

[Hekate]

4. Spot on