War Is A Racket

The picture above is of Major General Smedley D. Butler. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1898 through 1931. By the end of his career he had earned 16 medals -- five were for heroism, and two of those were the Medal of Honor (the highest award this nation can give for military service). But he was not just brave on the battlefield. After his retirement, he was not afraid to speak boldly and honestly about war -- calling it a racket. The following quote is from a speech he gave in 1933, but it is still very relevant today:

War is just a racket. 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.

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.

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 safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. 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.

Gates Lays Down The Law To Marines

I can't say that I usually agree with Defense Secretary Robert Gates. In fact, I usually disagree with him, especially when he is talking about the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq, or the defense budget. But in his latest trip to Afghanistan I'll have to admit that I am proud of the unequivocal answer he gave a Marine sergeant about homosexuals in the military.

As you probably know, the failed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" program in the United States military has been discontinued, and the military is now in the process of implementing new rules which will allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. This is a very good thing, and I appreciate how the Pentagon and the Defense Department have jumped on board with the new rules.

When Gates was talking to a group of Marines in Afghanistan, a Marine sergeant asked him if Marines who did not like the change could opt out of the military instead of serving alongside openly homosexual troops. It was a stupid question and not worthy of the vast majority of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines serving this country. Here is Gates answer:

"No, You'll have to complete your ... enlistment just like everybody else."


"The reality is that you don't all agree with each other on your politics, you don't agree with each other on your religion, you don't agree with each other on a lot of things. But you still serve together. And you work together. And you look out for each other. And that's all that matters."


"If we do this right, nothing will change. You will still have to abide by the same rules of behavior, the same discipline, the same respect for each other that has been the case through all the history of the Marine Corps."


Thank you Mr. Secretary. It is good to see someone in our government standing up for equality.

Pickings Are Slim For Recruiters

The United States Army needs to recruit about 80,000 new soldiers each year to keep the forces at the current level. The United States Marines need a few less. However, it looks like both are having trouble filling their quotas.

Both the Army and the Marines are now having to lower their standards. A few years ago, neither would have accepted anyone who had been convicted of a felony. But in 2007, the Army granted 511 felony waivers. That is more than twice the 249 it granted in 2006. Meanwhile, the Marines granted 208 in 2006 and 350 in 2007.

They have granted waivers for such felony crimes as assault, burglary, drug possession and making terroristic threats. However, the Army swears it doesn't grant waivers for crimes like sexual violence, alcoholism and drug trafficking.

What is really ridiculous is the reason the Army gives for lowering their standards to accept criminals. The Public Affairs Department said that only 3 out of 10 Americans of military age "meet all our stringent medical, moral, aptitude or administrative requirements."

Do they really expect us to believe that nonsense? The truth is that the huge majority of Americans, including those of military age, are opposed to the war in Iraq. Most of us don't see the sense in sending more young people to die in Iraq, when we know that nothing is being accomplished there except the enrichment of huge corporations.

Personally, I support and admire the young men and women who have served in Iraq. They are not the ones who blundered horribly -- that was our leadership in the White House. These brave men and women are just trying to make the best of a very bad situation they have been put in.

But I fully understand why most do not want to join them over there. Our current leadership is far too foolish and short-sighted, and have demonstrated an unholy willingness to sacrifice lives for corporate profits.