The US has been in a cycle since World War II of war whether these wars were invasive or pervasive they were/are all very real.
Long running campaigns only:
The Cold War 1945-91 still troops scattered around the world. This includes Central America
The Korean War 1950-53 still troops on the ground.
The Vietnam War 1945-1975 US ground troop involvement 1950-73 [including advisers].
War on Drugs 1969-to present
Afghan Wars 1979 to present [initially part of the Cold War].
Iraq Wars 1991 to present [no fly zone enforcement included].
War on Terror 2001-present
Others: Cuba,Lebanon, Israel, Libya, Iran [by proxy] Somalia, Bosnia, Grenada, Panama, plus general Black-ops etcetera etcetera etcetera.
Iran- looking more and more likely for aerial bombardment.
We spend over $2.2 billion a day of tax dollars on our war machine, funny how the teabaggers never mention this misuse of funds. The corruption alone in this war industry is astounding.
We need war because:
PS. Its going to hurt.
We refuse to ask the questions how and why, cancelling historical facts in the process.
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However History did not stop and the how and why continued unabated.
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List of United States defence contractors. [source wiki probably incomplete]
Acutronic, Accenture Ltd, ADT Security Services, Inc, Aerojet, Aerospace Center Support, Aerospace Corporation, Aerovironment, Advanced Integrated Systems, Aivea Corporation, Alliant Techsystems, Allied Container Systems, Allied-Signal Inc, AM General Corporation, American Petroleum Institute, Anteon International Corporation, Applied Research Associates Inc, ARINC, Argon ST, AV-Optimal Defense Consultancy Service, BAE Systems plc (U.S. subsidiary is BAE Systems Inc),Ball Corporation, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp, Bath Iron Works, Battelle Memorial Institute, BBN Technologies, Bechtel Corporation,Berico Technologies, BDM Corporation, Blazeware Inc, Black Knight Technology Inc, Boecore, Boeing Company, Boeing Sikorsky Comanche Team, Boeing SVS, Booz Allen Hamilton, British Nuclear Fuels Limited, CACI International Inc, Carlyle Group, Carnegie Mellon University, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, CNA Corporation, Colt Defense, Concurrent Technologies Corporation, Crye Associates, CSA Engineering, Computer Sciences Corporation, Decibel Research Inc, Defense Technologies Inc, Delta Intelligence & Security (UK), DHB Industries, Digital System Resources Inc, Dillon Aero, DRS Technologies, DynCorp, Dynetics, Inc, Earth Class Mail, East/West Industries, Inc, Edison Welding Institute, EDO Corporation, Elbit Systems of America (the United States division of Israeli-based Elbit, operating through subsidiaries IEI, Kollsman, and EFW), Electronic Data Systems Corporation, Electric Boat (division of General Dynamics), ENSCO, Inc, Environmental Tectonics Corporation, Evergreen International Aviation,Exxon Corporation, FLIR Systems, F M C Technologies, Foster Wheeler Ltd, Foundation Health Systems Inc, GB Industrial Battery, Gemini Industries Inc, General Atomics, General Dynamics, General Electric's Military Jet Engines Division, Geo-Centers Inc, Goodrich Corporation, GTE, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Harris Corporation, Halliburton Corporation, Health Net, Inc, Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell, Hughes Electronics Corporation, Humana Inc, Hybricon Corportation, IBM, Infotech Aerospace Services (a Pratt & Whitney joint venture), Institute for Defense Analyses, Intelsat, International Resources Group, ITT Corporation Inc, ITT Research Institute, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc, JGB Enterprises, Inc, Johns Hopkins University, JPS Communications (wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon), Kaman Aircraft, Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corporation, Kellogg, Brown and Root, Kongsberg Protech, L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc, Brashear, Lockheed Martin, Longbow Limited Liability Inc, M7 Aerospace, MacGregor Group (part of Cargotec corporation), Maersk Line and Patriot Contract Services, ManTech International, Marconi Corporation PLC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Maytag Aircraft Corporation, Menatek Spare Parts, McDonnell Douglas Corporation (wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing), MITRE Corporation; also see ANSER Institute for Homeland Security, Mitsubishi, Motorola Inc, NASSCO Holdings Inc. Nextel, Nichols Research Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Northrop Grumman Information Technologies, Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Northrop Grumman Newport News (formerly Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company), Northrop Grumman Ships Systems, Northrop Grumman Space Technology, Northrop Grumman Technical Services, Ocean Shipholdings Inc. Olin Corporation; also see John M. Olin and John M. Olin Foundation, Omega Training Group, Orbital Sciences Corporation, OT Training Solutions, Pennsylvania State University, Perot Systems, Pratt & Whitney (division of United Technologies), Precision Castparts Corporation, Private Military Corporations, Private Federal Corporations, Quantum3D, QinetiQ North America, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Rolls-Royce plc, RONCO (de-mining operations Horn of Africa, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC),Sensis Corporation,Shell Oil Company, Siemens AG, Sikorsky Aircraft Company, SimplexGrinnell, LP, SFA, Inc, SGIS, Smartronix, Inc, SPARTA, Inc, Spectrum Astro, SRI International, Stanley, Inc, Standard Missile Company LLC, Stevedoring Services of America, Stewart and Stevenson, Sverdrup Corporation, SYColeman (subsidiary of L-3 Communications, Talla-Tech, TCom, Teledyne, Textron Inc, Bell Helicopter Textron, Tri-Star Engineering, Inc, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Tyco International Ltd, University of Texas System, Unisys Corporation, United Industrial Corporation, United Technologies, URS Corporation, USmax Corporation, US Falcon, Vangent, Verdian Corporation, Verizon Communications, Vinnell Corporation, Vinnell Brown and Root, Washington Group International, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Worldcorp Inc, Wyvern Technologies, Aerospace & Defense Contractors
Private military contractors or active participants in war. Source Wiki again with the appropriate provisos.
Aegis Defence Services, AirScan, ArmorGroup, Blackwater Security Consulting now Xe, CACI, Columbia Helicopters, Corporate Training Unlimited, Custer Battles, Defion Internacional, Dynamics Research Corporation, Eastern Cross, Erinys International, Evergreen International Aviation, Executive Outcomes, General Textile Mills, Gentex Corporation, H. G. Pound, Halliburton, Hostile Control Tactics, Joshua French and Tjostolv Moland, KBR (company), Armen Keteyian, MVM, Inc,Military Professional Resources, Northbridge Services Group, OSSI-Safenet, Omega Group, Paratus World Wide Protection, Private Security Company Association of Iraq, SCG International Risk, Sandline International, Sharp End International, Shield Group Security, Tier 1 Group, Titan Corp, Unity Resources Group, Vinnell, Vinnell-Brown & Root
These lists do not include:
1] Individual subcontractor of these companies
2] Suppliers of these companies.
3] Many small research companies and University departments projects directly or indirectly funded by the military in part or in whole.
4] Various Think Tanks
5] Additions/subtractions from the list at any given time.
At any given time in our careers many of us will have been involved in one way or another. I know that I have worked on several military projects by proxy, and probably even some I don't know about.
You can also see from the list why many of our allies follow us readily into conflict.
The Military Industrial Complex has been fully integrated into our society, Ike gave the last warning but even then it was too late.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
The lobbying power of these industries alone is mind-blowing, tied into their fundamental necessity to our economy now we have been well rolled into a never ending cycle of armament and war. We have also been taught to glorify our military:
The US military alone employs directly nearly 3 million people including reserves and civilian employees.
The profitability of much of our industry depends upon our military expenditure since military contracts tend to be the poorly cost controlled and fraud is rife. The original quotes never match the final cost, try that in the private sector and you go bankrupt very quickly.
They have spread the hurt widely so if we cancel any program this is felt through every State in the Union, hence they have bought out the political process.
The right might well be screaming over:
1] Taxes
2] The percieved corruption of Acorn
3] Health Care Reform
4] Anarchists at the G20
5] Abortion, teh gay, and any other available wedge issue..
Yet there is an almighty silence pervading over anything to do with military expenditure.
Summary
Our blowhards in congress may chase ACORN up a tree, yet they will not go after war profiteering.
They may well in their desperate need pass legislation attacking more than ACORN however I doubt they will have the courage to use it where it is really needed.
The only thing as with the USSR that will cut the MIC down to size is near or total economic collapse, we avoided that with the Banking Scandal and subsequent give away of our wealth hence:
The cycle of war will continue as it is a massive part of our economic fabric.
Peace?
Not a chance this side of a global economic meltdown and after the chaos that will ensue.
The BBC documentary 'Why We Fight' is excellent and well worth watching in its entirety, add in thePower of Nightmares and it really is horrifying.
The MIC is hardly the Arsenal of Democracy more the Hammer of our Imperial Ambition also known as Economic Colonialism.
Nothing has changed, Obama notwithstanding because we let it get completely out of control, if Ike or even George Washington could not limit it Obama has no chance.
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As for congress: It is an utter failure and fails us every day.
We don't even bother to count the dead and injured we pile up around the world any more. We only those we can't avoid counting, our own for now, for example contractor deaths [whether you despise them or not we pay them] are an unknown.
Collateral damage = Human lives.
Sorry to be so depressing.
If not peace?
A little Love from me to you will have to do whilst I still have the heart.
Alessandra.