On Oct. 7, 2001, 14 years ago, U.S. forces attacked Afghanistan. Endless wars, such as those being waged in the Middle East, threaten America’s liberty and consume lives and wealth. War should be a last resort, not a political tool.
The Congressional Research Service concluded that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have cost U.S. taxpayers $1.6 trillion. When long-term medical care and disability compensation for service members, veterans and families, military replenishment and other related costs, are included the true cost is $4 to $6 trillion. From a purely business perspective, the return on investment is unacceptable.
War is just another socialist government program wherein the few reap the profits and the debt is dispersed among the taxpayers. Peace doesn’t generate profits for the weapons producers and other war profiteers. Until we stop the senseless excuses for war, there can be no peace.
In an October 6, 2014 interview with USA Today, shortly after war was declared against ISIS, former Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta stated that Americans should brace themselves for a 30-year war that will extend well beyond Syria. “I think we’re looking at kind of a 30-year war,” one that will have to extend beyond the Islamic State to include emerging threats in Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Libya and elsewhere.
We recently destroyed Libya, using the terrorist threat. Libya’s mistake, like Iraq, was to ditch the petro-dollar in favor of gold currency.
Presidential hopefuls from both parties and congress continue to beat the war drums; many are advocating a shooting war with Russia, providing more evidence of a criminal government, as if more evidence is needed. 30 additional years of war and a proposed war with Russia, this is insane, and we are equally guilty if we don’t prevent it.
America will never change unless the people wake up and vote the socialist politicians out of congress and chase the career bureaucrats, like Panetta, from the powerful government agencies, but that isn’t likely.
The reason for our endless wars can be traced to a think-tank study released in 1966 commissioned by the Department of Defense Secretary, Robert McNamara, using the guise of “stabilizing society.”
However, the true intent was to analyze the different ways a government can perpetuate itself in power, and suppress any resistance from the citizens.
It did not address questions of right or wrong or concepts of freedom and patriotism. Its only purpose was how to control the masses and make them submissive to an all powerful government.
The Report concluded that, in the past, war has been the only reliable means for success.
Only during times of war or the threat of war are the masses obedient enough to carry the burden of government without complaint.
Fear of conquest and plunder make any burden acceptable. (Now we understand the true meaning of the comical slogan, “we must fight them over there, so we don’t have to fight them over here.”) War creates a false sense of patriotism to the nation’s leaders. Any sacrifice in the name of victory is acceptable. Resistance is labeled as treason.
In times of peace, people resent high taxes and bureaucratic intervention. When they become disrespectful of their leaders, they are considered dangerous. Clearly, war has been an indispensable tool for government tyrants.”

By Jeff Smith