General Discussion

historylovr

(1,557 posts)

76. Thank you. Might I also add the Mexican-American War?

Mon May 25, 2015, 04:42 PM

May 2015

The excuse was that Mexico had invaded US territory, when in fact it was the other way round. I wish I could remember all the details, but it's been so long since I took diplomatic history.

Or how about the Spanish-American War? The Maine was just another excuse to get into something we were itching to. We wanted to be an empire, and for that you need secure shipping lanes and places you can refuel and take on water and food. At least they tried to dress this one and the previous one in defense of country.

Hawaii? The goal there was to overthrow the queen and the monarchy and have the US annex the islands.

You may count me in the camp who agree with you. We go to wars for our national self interest, which actually can be an ambiguous term, unlike defense of the country and to protect the Bill of Rights. What is in our national self interest? Natural resources, territory, alliances. It's no coincidence that some of those meshed nicely with the goals of our financial elite.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

108 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

''There are only two things we should fight for.'' -- Maj. Gen. Smedley Darlington Butler [View all] Octafish May 2015 OP

Should be required reading on this day. MannyGoldstein May 2015 #1

Especially the ''Brown Brothers'' and ''Wall Street'' bits. Octafish May 2015 #3

wonderful, manny. Is this the general roguevalley May 2015 #34

That's him. MannyGoldstein May 2015 #38

Oops. I hate drop downs. Sorry, Octafish roguevalley May 2015 #65

Excellent post! Cooley Hurd May 2015 #2

When War is Swell Octafish May 2015 #8

If only our citizens had the same idea of what it means to be an American. raouldukelives May 2015 #30

The really shocking thing about Gnl. Butler hootinholler May 2015 #4

Same group who tried to overthrow FDR in 1933 had kids. Octafish May 2015 #9

+1 n/t lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #26

I disagree, It seems we might hootinholler May 2015 #37

Absolutely appreciate the kind correction, hootinholler! Octafish May 2015 #87

My worry is that once they figure out they're in real trouble hootinholler May 2015 #93

Thank You Octafish 1norcal May 2015 #47

Passing the Torch Symposium - 2013 Duquesne University Octafish May 2015 #94

Sure, but those who send us out tell us that is what we're fighting for. malthaussen May 2015 #5

President Kennedy listened to Gen. MacArthur. Octafish May 2015 #21

Good for MacArthur. malthaussen May 2015 #27

JFK ordered withdrawal from Vietnam. LBJ reversed it four days after Dallas. Octafish May 2015 #31

That I'm hip to. malthaussen May 2015 #32

You must not remember the political climate back then. pocoloco May 2015 #45

Well, hell, I was only 7 at the time. malthaussen May 2015 #48

Excellent post! red dog 1 May 2015 #75

Generals Orders DustyJoe May 2015 #36

I'm pretty sure Butler won THREE Congressional Medals of Honor... gregcrawford May 2015 #6

Two. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #16

Decorations are awarded, not won. malthaussen May 2015 #19

Amen to that DustyJoe May 2015 #39

This is why I despise corporatist war hawks ...like Hillary. L0oniX May 2015 #7

She seems to have made a remarkable U-turn in her approach to diplomacy: now it's pure PNAC. Octafish May 2015 #29

Roger That - Many Citizens See HRC For What She Is - A Patron Of The Oligarchs cantbeserious May 2015 #44

Been trying to.... daleanime May 2015 #10

''I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.'' Octafish May 2015 #102

War profiteering: The BIG Conspiracy of the 1%. (They sell the tin-foil hats, too.) WinkyDink May 2015 #11

''Money trumps peace.'' That's the Why people steal elections. Octafish May 2015 #104

Dubya always spoke his truth. Many simply chose to read him differently. Fool me....won't get fooled WinkyDink May 2015 #108

HOw funny,,,,, Cryptoad May 2015 #12

Nonsense. A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #15

ego and greed are ,,,, Cryptoad May 2015 #18

Viet Nam, Gulf War 1, Gulf war 2, Grenada, Panama, A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #22

shot overhead Cryptoad May 2015 #50

I completely and utterly disagree. A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #54

The key words are Cryptoad May 2015 #60

I read your post. A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #66

No i do not ,,,, Cryptoad May 2015 #69

Not sure how this is ambiguous; A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #70

I totally agree with you. There is no question IMO as to the intentions of the rhett o rick May 2015 #82

I am disappointed that you got to a point where you thought it was necessary to rhett o rick May 2015 #84

"wars where started by people who thought they were defending..." BWAHAHAHAHA! They "thought" no WinkyDink May 2015 #59

are you a seer? Cryptoad May 2015 #63

As much as you. WinkyDink May 2015 #103

I never state what their motivations were only what they have said they were... Cryptoad May 2015 #105

Thank you. Might I also add the Mexican-American War? historylovr May 2015 #76

when Butler said Bill of Rights, he probably meant protecting it from internal threats yurbud May 2015 #23

welll its really not defined is it? Cryptoad May 2015 #43

in context, my interpretation is far more likely than one corporatists could use yurbud May 2015 #83

There's nothing funny about war. Octafish May 2015 #25

Tell me about it,,,,,, Cryptoad May 2015 #42

K&R valerief May 2015 #13

Smedley's bosses claimed Puerto Rico. Octafish May 2015 #107

A modern day equivalent; A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #14

Wish this could go viral n/t catchnrelease May 2015 #85

Smedley Butler is one of your national treasures. polly7 May 2015 #17

the most important post of the day. Every politician should be asked if they read this and forced yurbud May 2015 #20

One of the unsung heroes of America zeemike May 2015 #24

Only in the 30s, I fear. n/t Buenaventura May 2015 #46

Well Hitler gave it a bad name. zeemike May 2015 #73

Excellent read. blackspade May 2015 #28

I wonder how many primary schools have this book FlatBaroque May 2015 #33

How many fingers do you have? n/t A HERETIC I AM May 2015 #35

If we only had more Smedley Butlers and less Dick Cheneys. Initech May 2015 #40

Interesting quote... ensemble May 2015 #41

One word: Rwanda. Donald Ian Rankin May 2015 #49

Peace is never shameful. ncjustice80 May 2015 #67

Would you described what happened in Rwanda as peace? Donald Ian Rankin May 2015 #72

I would call it a sad result of white European Imperialism. ncjustice80 May 2015 #77

That's a philosophy that sometimes leads to vast numbers of innocent people dying horribly and Donald Ian Rankin May 2015 #78

Not as many as die as a result of our imperialist aggressions. ncjustice80 May 2015 #89

I'm sure us butchering Hutus would have made up for Hutus butchering Tutsis Scootaloo May 2015 #101

Three letters: C.I.A. Octafish May 2015 #86

By these standards attacking the perpetrators of 9/11 was justified. Kablooie May 2015 #51

the perpetrators of 9/11 killed themselves in attacking us Fast Walker 52 May 2015 #57

And somehow, Dubya knew FL was safe, even though his whereabouts had been published. WinkyDink May 2015 #62

yep-- nothing to see here Fast Walker 52 May 2015 #100

"the perpetrators of 9/11" being who, in your estimation? WinkyDink May 2015 #61

I assume Bin Laden and his cronies but... Kablooie May 2015 #99

Nor the war in Afghanistan. Octafish May 2015 #95

The Most Important Thread On This Memorial Day 1norcal May 2015 #52

Welcome to DU............ a truth and reconciliation commission. Ichingcarpenter May 2015 #64

Sorry, but WWI sealed our fate. Capital won vs labor and that battle Rex May 2015 #53

K&R avaistheone1 May 2015 #55

Yes yes yes!!!! Fast Walker 52 May 2015 #56

Right Wingers think a country shows it's Power and Glory on the battlefield.... Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #58

HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!! WillyT May 2015 #68

Thank you for posting this. 7wo7rees May 2015 #71

K & R historylovr May 2015 #74

There was a plot to overthrow FDR during the early years of his administration, red dog 1 May 2015 #79

K&R, thanks for posting Octafish red dog 1 May 2015 #80

General Butler is this country's least known true hero. nt hifiguy May 2015 #81

A great American Hero. Paka May 2015 #88

I'm not so sure Flatpicker May 2015 #90

Thanks Thespian2 May 2015 #91

He Should Be Well Known colsohlibgal May 2015 #92

That can be agreed. The differences come up in what constitutes defense treestar May 2015 #96

K & R & B Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #97

sad thing is Robbins May 2015 #98

K&R for the original post and subsequent informative posts and links. JEB May 2015 #106