So what General said this?
Gen. Hugh Shelton - Chairman under Bill Clinton & George W. Bush? Nope.
Gen. John Shalikashvili - Chairman under Bill Clinton? Nope.
Gen. Colin Powell - Chairman under George Bush Sr. & Bill Clinton? Wrong again.
Admiral William Crowe - Chairman under Ronald Reagan & George Bush Sr.? Wrong.
Gen. John Vessey - Chairman under Ronald Reagan? Not him either.
They all spoke out against Bush's failed policies in Iraq. All of them served as Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and are ALL disgusted with Bush's failure to make the best use of the power he has to deploy our troops. And they've gone public with their disgust and are demanding better for our troops.
But these brave men did not utter these words. Another General did, though it was a long time ago.
Make the jump...
War is a Racket!
It's just as true today as it was over 70 years ago when General Smedley Butler uttered these words. In his day, he was as well known as Colin Powell is today - and highly respected. He served his country for 33 years and was one of only 19 people to ever have been awarded 2 (TWO!) Congressional Medals of Honor (which is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon our troops).
Gen. Butler served with unquestionable distinction on battlefields on three continents. And when his service was through he did what all great men do: he asked himself "Why?"
He came up with an answer that holds true today - just as it did 73 ago...
The following is an excerpt from a speech Gen. Butler delivered in 1933...one of over 1,200 speeches he delivered in over 700 US cities.
"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."
In 1935, Gen. Butler published his famed short work titled War is a Racket. Click here to read it in its entirety.
(Hat tip goes to Randi Rhodes for sending me this quote in her newsletter this morning).
I was actually thinking about this on my way into work this morning. Of all the money Haliburton and KBR have been making in Iraq with their no-bid contracts. Their staff are eating well and making loads of $$ while our troops get shot at, eat food prepared by KBR that's been found to have shrapnel in it, and put their necks on the line 24/7. And for what?
To make the world safe for Democracy?
You and I both know that's total bullshit.
They're putting their necks on the line to make the world safe for big-oil, and to line the pockets of the CEOs of these companies.
While their loved-ones dread that knock on their front door by men in nice crisp uniforms.
For anyone working on a campagin right now - these powerful words might come in handy if you're looking for a quote or two. Check this guy out - he makes a lot of sense.
I'd also be interested in what veterans have to say in this thread. This general's said it so eloquently. And I'm sure there are thousands of Vets or active duty members of our military who could back this up and then some.