General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Nam redux [View all]rasputin1952
(83,497 posts)then we have troops all over the world getting involved where they shouldn't be, the Congo is perfect example.
WWII was an extension on WWI. After the depletion of the fighting population, and particularly because of the Flu epidemic which killed more than the war, there simply were not the men to push it any further. After a generation grew into a new fighting strength, the War resumed. Politics had a huge impact, w/Germany being crushed under debt to France, unable to climb out of debt and with little hope to the future, the nazi's won in a plurality, then gained steam through brutal tactics suppressing dissent and when Hitlers war machine produced obs, war became inevitable.
We stayed pretty much out of the fray until 7 Dec 41, there was actually a large contingent of Peace minded people until that Sunday morning...after Pearl Harbor, all bets were off. Our history is replete w/all kinds of wars and excursions, (to include genocide). Smedley Butler's famous remark, "War is a racket" was dead on target. He led Marines into excursions directly against forces that were against American companies, none of them were threats the US proper, it was all about corporate profit. Following WWII, the Marshall Plan was a stroke of genius. Marshall understood that if left on their own, Germany and Japan would suffer intolerably after the war, most likely setting up a WWIII scenario. Once we began aiding former enemies, they became our staunchest allies, proving that a helping hand as opposed to a beating can work wonders beyond what one can dream of.
Today, w/Iraq and Afghanistan and potentially Iran, it is all about corporate profit. I had no problem going after bin-Laden, although I believe he should have been captured and tried by international court if possible as opposed to being assassinated. To me, trundling him up and putting him on the chopper would have been a simple task since they got out of there anyway, even after spending time gaining access to intelligence to include hard drives, etc. A trial of bin-Laden would have been a coup hard to trump, but bullets are cheaper than trials, rope is cheaper than appeals.
I lost a lot of faith in PO, I still have "Hope", but the "Change" is little more than failed policy where force is used to impose one's will upon others...to the point where we are close to being under martial control at this point. The increase in federal power over citizens is at an alarming level, we are becoming what we've always despised, a despotic power bent on empire building as opposed to the force for good we could easily become. War should always be the last option, as Sun-Tzu said so long ago, "the best battle, is the one that is never fought". There are other options before unleashing the hell of war.