What Is Peace? No More War

Eddie Vedder - No More Official Video @ Yahoo! Video

Before Eisenhower, the champion of the anti military-industrial complex was General Smedley Butler - "a man among men" according to Eisenhower. Little known to many, he alleged that industrialists had approached him to lead a coup to overthrow the United States in the 1930s until he blew the whistle to Congress. He described his role below:

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and 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 benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might 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."

The never ending wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have killed millions of civilians - not to mention the toll on the American military and how they have effectively bankrupted the United States of America. With this culture of war we live in today, it has been estimated that more than half of all engineers work in some capacity for the federal government (in large part in support of these conflicts). This crowds out capital (both real and mental) and deprives the private sector of much needed brainpower to create useful, innovative businesses and products. Why are there military bases in 130 countries? Who is profiting from these wars?