Wow! .....

[one_voice]

[yardwork]

1. They left some out. That ten year period between 1973 and 1983 we waged plenty of war.

We were running the School of the Americas and doing other horrible things in South America as well as other parts of the globe.

[abelenkpe]

2. Just like Rome. Nt

[JBoy]

4. Or Oceania.

We've always been at war with Eastasia.

[Laelth]

10. Astute observation. n/t

-Laelth

[caseymoz]

57. Yep. "You want peace, prepare for war . . ."

Again proves to be one of the least accurate proverbs in history.

[newfie11]

3. How sad!

And war will probably be the end of this country. It seems the war machine will suck is dry.

[bvar22]

78. The War Machine HAS Sucked Us Dry.

It has been running on credit since 2001.

[Worship Money]

5. Also

The increasing disconnect between the experience of the military and the rest of the population in these "wars".

Rachel Maddow brings this up often, and it's an excellent point. Especially combined with the increasing use of mercenaries and the privatization of the military.

This is a very bad, and dangerous, phenomenon.

[yardwork]

7. Good point. I think of all the people coming home with PTSD and head traumas.

Meanwhile, the Republicans in Congress keep cutting VA benefits. How are these returning vets supposed to get the help they need after the experiences that WE put them through?

[CrispyQ]

34. It's dangerous & scary.

Many police forces have a militarized mindset, as well. "Protect & Serve" no longer includes the entire community, but rather the elite. This, coupled with the private prison system, makes it clear where they are willing to take this, to defend the status quo.

[Motown_Johnny]

6. self delete

[yardwork]

8. It's in there. Look again.

[dems_rightnow]

9. They counted 143 years of them

How many ya want?

[Octafish]

11. ''Money trumps peace.'' -- George Walker Bush, Feb. 14, 2007

The pretzeldent was asked about war on Iran at a presser.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1095133&mesg_id=1095549

[lutefisk]

84. Great link. I haven't felt such revulsion since the last time I watched Bush.

''Money trumps peace'' video

Seriously, everyone should have to watch the Chimperor every few years. Never forget.

[Lucky Luciano]

12. This list is very incomplete.

Lots of Central America actions in many countries over the last 100 years.
From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli is not just a song - it does include some military action2 from 200 years ago.
Iran 1953
etc

[AtheistCrusader]

56. Also forgot the french 'quasi-war' where we learned how to sink ships with our navy.

Came in handy against the british not long after.

[S_E_Fudd]

13. You know...I agree with the sentiment...but this is a stretch

The "Cold War" was not a war...

The Mexican War lasted from 1846-1848. If you stretched it and included the Texas Revolution...Texas not a part of the United States, but Mexico at the time...that went from 1835 to 1836. So no, the Mexican American War did not last from 1836 - 1848

The invasion of Grenada - armed conflict lasted a day or so. To say we were at war in Grenada for two years is just not accurate.

And while the genocide of Indians is a huge stain on our history...to say were at war with Native Americans for the entire time between 1775 to 1918 seems added to make the bottom line number mean more...

I'm not a pacifist...some of these wars were justified...

The number of unjustified conflicts we have engaged in is bad enough without exaggerating to make an innacurate point

[yardwork]

15. I disagree. If anything this list understates our history of war.

[S_E_Fudd]

16. To lump in WWII and the Civil War...with VietNam and Iraq is ridiculous...

eom

[yardwork]

17. Why?

[S_E_Fudd]

19. WWII and the Civil War were justified...

VietNam and Iraq were not...

[yardwork]

23. "Justified" is a matter of opinion.

You and I may think that the Civil War was justified but a whole lot of people who fought and died in it would have strongly disagreed at the time.

Anyway, I think that the point of the OP is that the United States of America is a country that is at war most of the time. Our history is one of war. We are not a peace-loving nation.

[S_E_Fudd]

26. Yes...almost everything is a matter of opinion it is true...

I do prefer historical accuracy however. If you are going to make a valid point, and the point has validity, don't exaggerate the truth...it simply undermines the message.

[Javaman]

73. Those who parse between good wars and bad wars...

fall into 1 of 3 catagories...

1) didn't fight in any war

2) survived the war

3) has the pleasure of being the victor who writes history.

I think if you asked anyone on the "losing side", they will have a vastly different opinion, especially the civilians.

Anyone with half a brain will tell you, there are no good wars and no "justified" wars.

War is war.

[RegieRocker]

86. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[bvar22]

79. "Justified" or "Unjustified",

It is still WAR,

and as such deserves to be included in the above list.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[S_E_Fudd]

20. And not only did they exaggerate wars that were not wars...

They left off an actual war...the Korean War.....for a poster that starts Let's Be Honest they should have done their research first

[one_voice]

22. You're right...

I didn't notice that. I will try and comment on the page where I found it.

My apologies for not picking up on that..

[progressoid]

46. Let's be honest - the Korean War wasn't a war.

It was a police action. Actually, it seems to me that the US hasn't been in a declared war since WWII.

Of course, all of that doesn't really matter to the dead and wounded. A rose by any other name...

[Enthusiast]

53. But the "Korean War" actually was a war.

It included shooting and everything. That makes it a war.

[Javaman]

75. Actually it was a war. It was between North and South Korea.

we got involved via the UN.

So while it may have been a "police action" via the UN it was still very much a war.

[progressoid]

80. Right

I meant from the perspective of our congress making a formal declaration of war.

I expect most, if not all, that fought there considered it a war.

[Javaman]

81. Like a buddy of mine who served in Serbia said to me once...

"those are real bullets. dead is dead no matter how you label it".

Heck, Congress hasn't formally declared war since WWII. I honestly never expect it ever will again.

and since moron* allowed his Unitary presidency bullshit to fly, I expect more of that in our future. wars of opportunity, convenience and desire are all on our plate to chow down as "citizens".

[Javaman]

72. List of wars involving the United States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States

Get yourself a cup of coffee, it's a much much longer list than the OP posted.

[Speck Tater]

14. It's a bit of a stretch to call the 47 yr cold war a "war". But they left off the Korean War. nt

[classof56]

30. Yes, I recall the Korean "War"

It was called a Police Action in concert with the U.N, perhaps so Pres. Truman did not need Congressional approval? Need to check that out rather than rely on my memory. I was in junior high school when it started, and a friend of my older sister was killed there. Along with too many others. Still stunned by learning what happened during WWII, I was having a bit of a problem dealing with another war, but my country was my country and the Korean thing was, after all, to keep Communism at bay. It wasn't long until "Under God" was added to our Pledge, thanks to Sen. McCarthy's "fight" against Communism. And of course that was the justification for our involvement in Vietnam--the Domino Theory. Lots of pain and sadness in our past, to be sure. Our soldiers fought and died for the freedom that corporations now want to take from us. It is sickening, really. Don't know what else to call it.

Tired Old Cynic

[In Other News]

18. Gotta rec it!

:applause:

[WinkyDink]

21. Was the Korean War chopped liver?!

[RebelOne]

24. My thought exactly. Did they forget about that war? n/t

[yardwork]

25. I'm thinking that it's included in the Cold War.

[RebelOne]

44. The Korean War was not a cold war. There was combat in that war. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

39. +1 This left out the Korean War (1st U.N. "Police Action" before Vietnam) n/t

[hfojvt]

27. our country sure is evil, no?

:eyes:

wonder why the Korean war was left out.

[one_voice]

28. I don't know why it was left out..

but I do apologize for not seeing that...

And no, I don't think our country is evil.

[hfojvt]

36. the poster sure implies that - a history of war-mongering

Like how dare we fight the Nazis and the Soviets? Or the Indians? Or the British? Or the South? Like the world would be better off if the Americans had not fought, had not become independent, had not freed the slaves.

[one_voice]

38. You could be right...

however I do agree with you that some wars are necessary. I was just taken aback by the number...I'd never thought about like that.

Like I said, I do think there are wars that are needed. I will also say I wish we'd done something during the Rwanda genocide. I think Iraq was a huge mistake.

[HughBeaumont]

29. Then there are the wars on nouns and abstract concepts . . .

. . . "Terror", "Drugs", "Poverty", "The Middle/working/poor class", etc

[nc4bo]

31. Damn. nt

[lunatica]

32. You, or whoever created the list forgot the Korean war which is still a military stand off

[Synicus Maximus]

33. This is very similar to the record for France and Britain.

[hunter]

35. War is what evil empires do best.

Without our empire we're just another corrupt American plutocracy.

[hootinholler]

37. WTF is Freedom Falcon?

And aren't we still in Enduring Freedom?

[live love laugh]

40. I was wondering the same thing. What IS it? Anybody? nt

[dems_rightnow]

42. That's the code name for the Libya Operation

At least the US part.

[cui bono]

41. Not sure I agree with listing the Cold War as being "at" war.

it certainly ran up our military spending and built the MIC a hell of a lot but we weren't sending people off into battle, and that's a god chunk of years. Still, I agree with the sentiment. We have been at war for far too many years.

On the other hand, what about all our military involvement in Central America? May not have been declared war but neither was Iraq if I'm not mistaken.

[Paper Roses]

43. You should add The Korean War separately.

It falls within the Cold War time frame but was a nasty, horrible war.---but then again, there is no "nice" war.

[gateley]

45. Wow is right! nt

[Initech]

47. "We are a war like people. We like war because we're good at it!" - George Carlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaS2bRGS86c

[defendandprotect]

48. Ain't Imperialism grand .... !!!! YIKES!

[Fire Walk With Me]

49. I can hardly wait for Falcon Freedom Fest!

(small lettering: and spinal tap)

[Serve The Servants]

50. We seem to be in an era where

using the term "freedom" must be included in the names of all military operations being conducted.
Since it's pretty well known by many people that the whole "Fighting for our freedom" thing is complete Bullshit, and TPTB know that we know this. The continued use of the term "freedom" is tacky, completely inaccurate and beyond insulting.

[Beartracks]

51. And we can look forward to Operations Enduring Falcon...

... and Falcon Storm,
and Desert Falcon,
and Storm Shield,
and Stormy Falcon,
and Freedom Storm,
and Free Dessert,
and Falcon Shit Storm,
and Shield the Falcon from Enduring Storms,
and....
:nuke:

================

[BlueMTexpat]

63. "Free Dessert" is one war I could really get into!

:evilgrin: :kick:

[Enthusiast]

52. It's a fact. kr!

We might as well change the name of the country to: The United States of War Nation.

And since Bush, war = peace.

[Liberal_in_LA]

54. wow is right.

[iamthebandfanman]

55. its hard to make profit

off of good deeds.

[Proles]

58. I agree the list is a bit of a stretch. I also don't get the point.

So they're suggesting we're always at war?

Well, unfortunately it's not just America. The entire human race has a history of armed conflict dating back to before the stone age.

While we should always shoot for a world of peace, the fact of the matter is that many conflicts in the past were justified. I certainly agree we should reduce our emphasis on war as a nation for the future though.

[awoke_in_2003]

59. "War, War. What is it good for"...

making fat cats richer.

[micraphone]

60. Losing too the

War on Drugs
War on Poverty

But these are not real "wars", either... but for different reasons. But both don't profit the PTB.. do they?

[Major Hogwash]

61. War is a racket.

But, we were attacked in 2001, so you'll lose this argument every time.
What we need is a new 9/11 Commission, but President Obama doesn't want "to go there", so forget that idea.
And no one in Congress has the ballz to start a new investigation, so we'll have to wait until a new Congress comes along and starts another investigation.
Maybe in another 10 or 20 years, the way they did with the JFK assassination.

[Amonester]

62. We are at war against the planet 24/365.

Each year
Thousands of species disappear
Each year
Plastic-litter islands in both oceans
Releasing CO2 when processing packaged foods
Releasing CO2 when moving food from one point to another
Changing the climate to a point it's killing tens of thousands
Producing nuclear waste
Burning fossil fuel 24/365
Poisoning water
Coral reefs are dying
We are at war against the planet
We are at war against us
Soon it will be too late to make peace

[sabrina 1]

64. How many years has the Drug War being on also?

[KansDem]

65. Anyone else notice we stopped "war" in 1973...

And started going to "operations" in 1991 after two "invasions?"

Does "operation" sound better than "war?" Does giving our hegemony a military term make it more palatable?

[harun]

74. Don't need the same Congressional approvals for "Operations". It

is their way of skirting the constitutional requirements of "war".

[Javaman]

76. Just like "surgical strike".

very antiseptic, you know.

[mod mom]

66. Take the profit out of war and you can take the war out of this country!

[TBF]

67. I can't keep up - I didn't even know about these "Falcon" operations ...

well, I knew about the war-mongering but didn't realize they had these names.

[Mosaic]

68. We are Barbarians for Real

Life Sucks.

[canuckledragger]

69. K & R

[DirkGently]

70. And the names keep getting stupider & more desperately "patriotic." "Freedom Falcon?" Jesus.

[randr]

71. Wow indeed

And it surprises us that the rest of the world sees us a aggressors?

[kooljerk666]

77. You missed a few............

http://www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/interventions.html

US interventions in Latin America

Location Period Type of Force Comments on U.S. Role
Argentina 1890 Troops Buenos Aires interests protected
Chile 1891 Troops Marines clash with nationalist rebels
Haiti 1891 Troops Black workers revolt on U.S.-claimed Navassa Island defeated
Nicaragua 1894 Troops Month-long occupation of Bluefields
Panama 1895 Naval, troops Marines land in Colombian province
Nicaragua 1896 Troops Marines land in port of Corinto
Cuba 1898- Naval, troops Seized from Spain, U.S. still holds Navy base at Guantanamo
Puerto Rico 1898- Naval, troops Seized from Spain, occupation continues
Nicaragua 1898 Troops Marines land at port of San Juan del Sur
Nicaragua 1899 Troops Marines land at port of Bluefields
Honduras 1903 Troops Marines intervene in revolution
Dominican Republic 1903-04 Troops U.S. interests protected in Revolution
Cuba 1906-09 Troops Marines land in democratic election
Nicaragua 1907 Troops "Dollar Diplomacy" protectorate set up
Honduras 1907 Troops Marines land during war with Nicaragua
Panama 1908 Troops Marines intervene in election contest
Nicaragua 1910 Troops Marines land in Bluefields and Corinto
Honduras 1911 Troops U.S. interests protected in civil war
Cuba 1912 Troops U.S. interests protected in Havana
Panama 1912 Troops Marines land during heated election
Honduras 1912 Troops Marines protect U.S. economic interests
Nicaragua 1912-33 Troops, bombing 20-year occupation, fought guerrillas
Mexico 1913 Naval Americans evacuated during revolution
Dominican Republic 1914 Naval Fight with rebels over Santo Domingo
Mexico 1914-18 Naval, troops Series of interventions against nationalists
Haiti 1914-34 Troops, bombing 19-year occupation after revolts
Dominican Republic 1916-24 Troops 8-year Marine occupation
Cuba 1917-33 Troops Military occupation, economic protectorate
Panama 1918-20 Troops "Police duty" during unrest after elections
Honduras 1919 Troops Marines land during election campaign
Guatemala 1920 Troops 2-week intervention against unionists
Costa Rica 1921 Troops
Panama 1921 Troops
Honduras 1924-25 Troops Landed twice during election strife
Panama 1925 Troops Marines suppress general strike
El Salvador 1932 Naval Warships sent during Faribundo Marti revolt
Uruguay 1947 Nuclear threat Bombers deployed as show of strength
Puerto Rico 1950 Command operation Independence rebellion crushed in Ponce
Guatemala 1954-? Command operation, bombing, nuclear threat CIA directs exile invasion and coup d'Etat after newly elected government nationalizes unused U.S.'s United Fruit Company lands; bombers based in Nicaragua; long-term result: 200,000 murdered
Panama 1958 Troops Flag protests erupt into confrontation
Cuba 1961 Command operation CIA-directed exile invasion fails
Cuba 1962 Nuclear threat, naval Blockade during missile crisis; near-war with Soviet Union
Panama 1964 Troops Panamanians shot for urging canal's return
Dominican Republic 1965-66 Troops, bombing Marines land during election campaign
Guatemala 1966-67 Command operation Green Berets intervene against rebels
Chile 1973 Command operation CIA-backed coup ousts democratically elected Marxist president
El Salvador 1981-92 Command operation, troops Advisors, overflights aid anti-rebel war, soldiers briefly involved in hostage clash; long-term result: 75,000 murdered and destruction of popular movement
Nicaragua 1981-90 Command operation, naval CIA directs exile (Contra) invasions, plants harbor mines against revolution; result: 50,000 murdered
Honduras 1982-90 Troops Maneuvers help build bases near borders
Grenada 1983-84 Troops, bombing Invasion four years after revolution
Bolivia 1987 Troops Army assists raids on cocaine region
Panama 1989 Troops, bombing Nationalist government ousted by 27,000 soldiers, leaders arrested, 2000+ killed
Haiti 1994-95 Troops, naval Blockade against military government; troops restore President Aristide to office three years after coup
Venezuela 2002 Command operation Failed coup attempt to remove left-populist president Hugo Chavez
Haiti 2004- Troops Removal of democratically elected President Aristide; troops occupy country

and in the Philippines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine–American_War
1899-1902

[Nevernose]

83. You missed a few, too.

Various military adventures in China in the 20s and 30s.
We invaded Russia in 1918 on the side of the White Russians (and then wondered why the Bolsheviks were paranoid about us).

[kooljerk666]

85. Yes i should have read more closely b4........

I posted. The wiki list was stunning, I never knew about the Russian Campaign (in support of the csar) and I goet if the overthrow of Iran was in there.

At any rate a great post & something for people who think the USA is so wonderful and even at school children should be aware of.

Thanks for starting a great thread & apologies if I came off like an ass.

[TeeYiYi]

82. Almost 40,000 American troops were killed in the Korean War.

TYY

[RegieRocker]

87. But it wasn't a war.....

:crazy: