Video: War is a racket.
Smedley Darlington Butler[1] (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps major general, the highest rank authorised at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in US history. During his 34-year career as a Marine, he participated in military actions in the Philippines, China, in Central America and the Caribbean during the Banana Wars, and France in World War I. Butler is well known for having later become an outspoken critic of US wars and their consequences, as well as exposing the Business Plot, an alleged plan to overthrow the US government.
By the end of his career, Butler had received 16 medals, five for heroism. He is one of 19 men to receive the Medal of Honor twice, one of three to be awarded both theMarine Corps Brevet Medal and the Medal of Honor, and the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal and two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions. In 1933, in a controversy known as the Business Plot, he revealed to a congressional committee that a group of wealthy industrialists was planning a military coup to overthrow Franklin D. Roosevelt. The individuals involved all denied the existence of a plot and the media ridiculed the allegations. A final report by a special House of Representatives Committee confirmed some of Butler’s testimony.
In 1935, Butler wrote a book entitled War Is a Racket, where he described and criticised the workings of the United States in its foreign actions and wars, such as those he was a part of, including the American corporations and other imperialistmotivations behind them. After retiring from service, he became a popular activist, speaking at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists, and church groups in the 1930s.
Thanks Leslie. War is a Racket is an interesting read. Full text can be found on this archive site.
NZ should be a neutral country, like Switzerland. And like the Swiss, we should have national service for ‘all’, with regular call ups, BUT ONLY used in the defence of our country. Consciences objectors can do medical service or similar ‘non combat roles’.
We’d defend our territorial waters (from economic plunder too). And like the Swiss we’d make it ‘NOT WORTH THE BOTH’ of invading, ……..as a misquote of Churchill, ……..we’d be fighting them on OUR beaches, over OUR skies etc etc, BUT not as unpaid USA mercenaries in Iraq etc.
Mind you JK is the lackie for the USA elite monied 0.001%’ers, so he’d be against such moral ideas
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