70 years later and nothing has changed

[capt. apathy]

War is a Racket

by Major General Smedley Butler, USMC, 1933
War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism.

It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.

I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

that was the forward from his (short) book.   the full text here  it's only about a half-hour read.  and well worth the time.

interesting read from a guy who knows the bussiness better than any of us.

[bigsky]

some things never change.

[Dowding]

Interesting.

[Naso]

The truth.

In any nation, under any flag, and any political style.

[Eagler]

wonder if the Major ate his words by 1943 .. just 10 years later ....
or should have America just stood by and let Hitler exterminate millions while he was conquering Europe (we'd fought Japan - per the Major's definition of why we should go to war= "If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight") Bet he felt like a tard around then...

[Dowding]

Germany declared war on the US, not the other way around Eagler. The US waited until the war knocked at her door, as per the Major's idea.

[capt. apathy]

wonder if the Major ate his words by 1943 .. just 10 years later ....
or should have America just stood by and let Hitler exterminate millions while he was conquering Europe (we'd fought Japan - per the Major's definition of why we should go to war= "If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight") Bet he felt like a tard around then...

I doubt it.  by 43 we had proven him right again(would there have been an issue to go to war with japan over if not for policies in the pacific set up to protect the investments of the few?)

by 43 we had fallen for it again.  ran up more debt for the american tax-payer, burried more of our family, all so we could protect the money of those who already have an ample supply, and generate bussiness for the next generation of war-mongers.

 and as he stated is it really any of our bussines if other people in other lands want to be comunist, facist, live under a dictator(whatever)

I agree with his statement

There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights.

I also like his idea that if we can draft young men to go and fight and risk there lives in a 'just war' for an enlisted mans pay, then why shouldn't we draft the military contractors.  not require them to risk there lives, but just put their careers and futures on hold while they work for enlisted mans pay.  let the CEO of Haliburton work this whole year for an e-1 pay grade.  surely he could give up his proffit, if this is such a just cause.  it's not like your asking him to be in the line of fire.

BTW- thats Major General Smedley Butler, not Major

[Eagler]

Originally posted by Dowding
Germany declared war on the US, not the other way around Eagler. The US waited until the war knocked at her door, as per the Major's idea.

they were not attacking our shores - I don't think it meet his description

and the world in 2003 is not the world in 1933 - just alittle more intergrated

[Dowding]

So when someone formally declares war on you, what should the response be? Sounds to me like a declaration of war is the direct threat that the Major-General had in mind.

[Naso]

Yes Eagler, the world is quite different, but the mechanism remain the same.

I think that General took some point, maybe the entire concept, or the consequences (just war/unjust war), can be discussed, but the core of his reasoning remain adamantine.

If possible, just check the variation in balance that the war-connected companies will have as consequence of Desert War II.

Boeing, for example, those smart bombs cost a lot

[capt. apathy]

So when someone formally declares war on you, what should the response be? Sounds to me like a declaration of war is the direct threat that the Major-General had in mind.

I would think it would be obvious that, as you say, a declaration of war, while not an attack on our soil directly, is a declaration of intent of hostilities and would fall under his deffinition of valid reasons.


and again I wonder why is it 'ok' to ask young men to risk their lives in a war and yet it is not seen as reasonable to have companies supplying our troops 'at cost'  or even just a reasonable profit.

the soldier doesn't proffit from war,  the american citisen doesn't proffit from war.  the battles we fight go to protect the bussines dollar, and the same companies we are protecting make extra profit off the war effort.

aparently it's patriotic for a man to give up his life but unamerican for a wealthy man to pass up a chance to gouge the american tax payer.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Dowding
Germany declared war on the US, not the other way around Eagler. The US waited until the war knocked at her door, as per the Major's idea.

On September 11, 1941, the President of the United States publicly declared that he had ordered the American Navy and Air Force to shoot on sight at any German war vessel. In his speech of October 27, 1941, he once more expressly affirmed that this order was in force. Acting under this order, vessels of the American Navy, since early September 1941, had systematically attacked German naval forces. Undeclared war was in progress before Dec. 7th, 1941, and the Germans officially declared war on Dec. 11th, 1941.

[Manedew]

Originally posted by Eagler
they were not attacking our shores - I don't think it meet his description

and the world in 2003 is not the world in 1933 - just alittle more intergrated

So being an allied of a country that did attack us (Japan @ Pearl) I think it more than means what the general said.

Do not get involved in protracted conflicts, it negates all the profibility of war.

Sun Tzu knew it 2000+ years ago ....

The Genreal knew it 70 years ago ..

what do you think has changed?  not much....

[Dowding]

Maybe that was in response to the American merchantmen sunk by the Kriegsmarine. Knock-knock!

[Eagler]

Originally posted by Naso
Yes Eagler, the world is quite different, but the mechanism remain the same.

I think that General took some point, maybe the entire concept, or the consequences (just war/unjust war), can be discussed, but the core of his reasoning remain adamantine.

If possible, just check the variation in balance that the war-connected companies will have as consequence of Desert War II.

Boeing, for example, those smart bombs cost a lot

aside from "War", please tell me one venture which one side does not gain and another lose?

war is business, big biz, nasty biz but more times than not necessary biz at our stage of enilightenment (or lack thereof)

sounds like the major gen was just pointing out the obvious and whining about it - is he related to Clark?