The Conflicts Waged In the Name of War

History is an invaluable tool. For it tells us of the mistakes made in the past so as to not repeat those same mistakes. Yet, our leaders have continually failed to head the lessons that history is supposed to teach us. The present Administration is again repeating history. We have to remember that the last time the United States declared war was in 1941. The conflicts waged in the name of war from Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq were never sanctioned by the Congress. These conflicts disguised as wars were designed as tools to increase the profitability of the Military Industrial Complex, certain politicians, and major corporations.

The strategy of the United States since the late 50s has been as General Mac Arthur stated "prolonged appeasement." Had Mac Arthur continued in Korea the world today would be much different. But, then again that is a matter of conjecture. Though, many historians have concluded that maybe the General was right after all. Today, the world is in the throws of a major catastrophe by nations' leaders' unwillingness to compromise and find peaceful solutions to the major crisis of our times. The continued lust and greed for more power, control, and wealth has consumed their inability to accept logic, reason, and empathy for mankind. This inability has put the whole world on a trajectory toward Armageddon.

Today, with renewed emphasis in the Mid-East aside from Syria the Afghan policy from the onset has not been one to achieve complete victory over the Taliban. The United States has failed in every attempt to form an international coalition to unite much like our allies were during World War II. To think that the US could broker a peace with the Taliban has been a folly born out of desperation to save political face from the beginning. There again we have failed to head the words of General Mac Arthur. The top brass at the Pentagon, the CIA and the State Department, as well as our Presidents, have learned nothing from the 17 years of involvement in Afghanistan. Despite trillions of dollars and thousands of lives poured into geography last conquered by Alexander the Great nothing our generals and our nation's leaders have brought to the table to put an end to our involvement has worked.

With North Korea agitating China, South Korea, and the United States has put a new dimension into the paradigms of global policy decisions. Questions need to be asked and yet no one is asking them, let alone the right ones. Why would our leaders undertake military action and put our armed forces in harm's way when there has been no universal declaration of war or an international coalition? Following 9/11 would have been justification enough to have Congress declare war but none was declared. Instead, our resolve became one not about a complete victory over an elusive adversary, but more about the wealth armed engagements always generate to the major power brokers that so often hide behind the coat tails of many elected officials.

The conflicts waged in the name of war has put the United States in a state of economic, social, and fiscal crisis. No longer is this nation united. Today, there are not just pockets of acute poverty, crumbling infrastructure, social and racial unrest, but throughout this nation, the growing insecurity, poverty, and a declining quality of life are readily apparent. The path that the Trump Administration is embarking on is a continued failure. The policy directives coming out of the White House has only accelerated America's decline.

From Trump's climate change denying, to our continued involvement in the Mid-East, to the possibility of more military action in Korea so many are being beguiled behind the real reason why the United States continues to act contrary to the well being of the United States. Our leaders continue to carry out military interventions for the sole intent of garnishing oil profits at any cost. The lives lost, the tax dollars wasted, and the needless folly of our leaders into global hot spots where under the mask of National Security has only made the United States more vulnerable.

The conflicts waged in the name of war have done nothing to strengthen our economy, our national security, our fiscal solvency, our infrastructure, and even our military. All these conflicts disguised as a national security crisis in the name of war has only increased the profitability of a select few while the rest of the United States and millions around the world continue to languish in desperation. There has been no attempt whatsoever by our leaders to bring about a decisive victory over the Taliban or any other terrorist organization. Like what our interventions to combat drugs and poverty the attempts made have only made these crises worse. And, until there is a complete resolve like General Mac Arthur stated, "The very objective of war is victory," the lives and livelihoods of millions all around the globe will suffer.