One wonders why America goes to war every few years with other nations. In its history of 248 years, it has been at peace only for 20 years or only 8% of its independent history!
Rest of the years, America has been fighting wars with other nations involving killings, murders, looting, gobbling up territories of other nations, carrying out coups, overthrows, assassinations, regime change, etc.
There is no continent where United States has not put its criminal footprints. Why should a nation based on democratic principles engage in such nefarious activities for so long?
Today, United States maintains 750 military bases in 80 countries of the world.
It deploys 228,390 military personnel in foreign countries as of September 2023. Some 168,571 of them are active-duty troops. Rather than minding her own business, why does America undertake such a colossal waste of money and materials?
The answer lies in the fact that America is a global hegemon and wants to dominate the world. Any country—like Russia and China—whoever challenges American hegemony becomes its enemy. Any country who challenges American dominance is targeted for brutal military and economic sanctions. America always creates a boogey man or an enemy to hate.
For 500 years, the Native Americans were its enemy, then Mexican leaders, Hawaii’s king and queen before ruthlessly taking over that beautiful but defenseless Island kingdom, Japanese emperor during World War II, Hitler during World War II, Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam during Vietnam War, Russian and North Korean leaders during the Korean War, Saddam Hussein of Iraq who had done no harm to America, Osama Bin Laden and Taliban of Afghanistan, where there was no clear proof that they had anything to do with 9/11 attack, Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia—Kosovo War—who had done no harm to America, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, Ayatollahs of Iran, Hugo Chavez or Maduro of Venezuela… and now Putin of Russia… the list goes on and on.
United States has military bases in Iraq against the wishes of their government and people. It also has soldiers in Syria without the wishes or permission of that country. US steals Iraqi oil in Kurdistan area and 80% of oil from Syria—as per morningstaronline.co.uk—and provides that oil to their archenemy, Israel! This is theft and naked gangsterism.
According to James A. Lucas, Global Research, U.S. regimes have killed 20 to 30 million people since world war II. What a criminal record! This is not considering millions of native Americans and black people of Africa—due to the slave trade and U.S. imposed slavery—who perished at the hands of Americans. This is what America’s glorious record is. Alas, few Americans are aware of this!
As reported by The New York Times Magazine—Sept. 10, 2021—at Least 37 million civilians have been displaced as a direct result of U.S. wars since Sept. 11, 2021—not considering its countless previous wars—according to a new report from Brown University’s Costs of War Project. This is the result of America’s War on Terror. The displaced millions—men, women and children—have lost their homes and most belongings and are forced to live in miserable conditions in other countries. Most Americans don’t realize what their ‘leaders’ are doing to other people of the world on the name of freedom.
America has put brutal sanctions on so many nations! Some 2.6 to 2.7 billion people of the world are under US sanctions. As per Jonas Elmerraji of Investopedia—July 06, 2023—U.S. has imposed sanctions on following countries, regions, or companies and individuals within listed countries:
- Afghanistan
- The Balkans
- Belarus
- Burma
- Central African Republic
- China
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ethiopia
- Hong Kong
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- Nicaragua
- North Korea
- Russia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Venezuela
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
It is well-known that most of the time sanctions fail. Only the innocent and poor people of the sanctioned country suffers from these sanctions. Nothing happens to their leaders. Still, America keeps sanctioning countries foolishly. For example, America has put brutal trade sanctions on Cuba since February 3, 1962; some 62 years of brutal, vindictive and pointless embargo. Who suffers in Cuba as a result? Its poor people. What harm has Cuban people done to America?
By its immoral wars with other weaker countries, America has brought about death and destruction in these countries. Examples are North and South Korea, South and North Vietnam, Japan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Libya. As a result, millions of people lost their lives, their homes and their livelihoods. Millions became refugees in other countries, forced to leave their homes. What harm people of these countries had done to America? Have our leaders asked themselves ever what did America gain by these stupid and criminal wars? Once these criminal wars are over, everything is forgotten by our leaders and it is business as usual. But the people who have suffered horribly as a result of America’s wars, will they ever forget?
AIPAC — the Israel lobby exerts tremendous influence on US Middle East policy. That has been very harmful to America’s own interests. There is good evidence for the fact that United States attacked and went to war with Iraq in March 2003 because of Israel and its lobby AIPAC. As per Brown University Study, it will cost the US some $2.2 trillion. As per the Reuters, about 1.03 million people died as a result of this horrible war. There were 4431 American soldiers killed and 31,994 wounded in this war. This war was a foolish and criminal act by the United States.
As per Council on Foreign Relations, Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid since its founding, receiving around $310 billion (adjusted for inflation) in total economic and military assistance. Though Israel is richer than most European countries! Also, the United States has provisionally agreed via a memorandum of understanding to provide Israel with $3.8 billion per year through 2028. U.S. has been giving Israel $3 billion to $4 billion a year in military aid during the past decade and a half.
All this aid helps Israel maintain its criminal policy over poor and defenseless people of Palestine. Israel keeps these Palestinian people in most horrible conditions in modern times. Some 2 million Gaza-Palestinians are kept in horrible conditions in open air prison by Israel. The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank are no better off under Israel’s suppression. Even Palestinian Arabs living in Israel are treated as third class citizens. American arms to Israel—including 2000-pound bombs–are responsible for killings by Israel of thousands of poor Palestinian men, women and children. United States knows this very well. U.S. military, economic and diplomatic support to Israel enables Israel in its inhuman treatment of Palestinian people with impunity.
Recent genocide by Israel and indirectly supported by America, in Gaza has claimed over 40,000 Palestinians killed; many of them are women and children. Israel is bent on ethnic cleansing there. US leaders know this and indirectly support it. It is obvious to those who know it.
In other words, it is America who is responsible indirectly for mass murders, ethnic cleansing and inhuman conditions of Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank. If America stops its military/economic aid, Israel will immediately settle for a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Why keep creating enemies? Why can’t America live in peace with other nations? Is violence in their blood? Why do the ruling elites foolishly have a sense of superiority over people of other nations? Don’t they learn anything from great men like Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus Christ, Henry David Thoreau or Martin Luther King? Why can’t they believe in brotherhood of men? Why don’t they realize that everyone is a citizen of this planet and each one has equal rights over the resources of this beautiful planet? Why do the rulers of America have insatiable appetite to dominate by hook or crook over other nations of this world? When do these unwise rulers behave like peaceful people and understand that all human beings on this planet are equal and have equal rights regardless of their religion or their country of origin?
Why can’t we be friends with Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua? All that is required is to extend a hand of friendship and treat everyone with respect and equality. Then each of these countries will respond whole-heartedly in kind.
America can change tomorrow from a warring hegemon to a peaceful and civilized nation if it wants. It can immediately declare to the world:
- America will not go to war with any nation unless directly attacked.
- From now onwards, America will change its nuclear policy. No first use of nuclear weapons should be the basis of a peaceful nation. United States should declare that it will use nuclear weapons only if attacked by a nuclear power. It will not use nuclear weapons on any non-nuclear power.
- United States should call for a conference of all nuclear-powered nations and work relentlessly to eliminate all nuclear weapons from this world.
- It will dissolve NATO alliance right away as its usefulness is redundant as Soviet Union no more exists.
- As of 2023, the US military spent about $820.3 billion on ‘defense’. Defense Department’s request for 2024 Defense Budget is $849.8 billion. United States spends on ‘defense’ more than the next ten countries combined! While its Education Budget as per the latest request by the Biden Administration is for $90 billion for fiscal year 2024. What a shame!
United States should cut its Defense Budget by at least 50% and use the billions thus saved for helping its needy people.
- America will not invade another country, carry out coups, or undertake regime change, or destroy a democratic movement, or assassinate the leader or the scientist of another nation unless it is attacked by another nation.
- America will not carry out economic war against another nation by sanctions or by other means.
- USA has 750 military bases in some 80 countries of the world as of July 2021. Why such a waste of money and material? America should close all its military bases around the world and spend those billions of dollars thus saved for the welfare of its poor people and useful social programs.
- America should and will ban all lobbies representing foreign countries’ interests ( such as Israel, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan), so that they cannot influence US foreign policy.
- America will stop all military, economic and diplomatic aid to Israel and force Israel to seek and settle a two-state solution with Palestinian people.
Doling out billions of dollars to Israel—a country richer than any country of Europe—while 11.4% or around 37 million Americans live in poverty—for what? Everything Israel does to the Palestinian people since its founding in 1948 is against the value and principle on which America was founded.
What are the characteristics of a great nation? A great nation is the one who lives in harmony and peace with all other nations; who treats other countries with respect and friendship regardless of other countries’ political system; who engages in friendly negotiations if there arises a disagreement or crisis with other nations; who helps other poor nations with aid; who stops selling or supplying arms and killing machines to other nations for profit. Unfortunately, America possesses none of these qualities of a great nation.
America possesses some good qualities too. But let’s face it. No matter how much we love America, and despite massive propaganda, America has been a violent nation throughout its history. It has become an agent of chaos in the world violating international laws when it suits them.
America needs to change its ways. In every secondary school, America needs to introduce courses on non-violence as a subject. In schools across the country, America needs to teach its youngsters about Gautam Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and their teachings, so that from childhood, our youngsters learn the value of non-violence. Only if its youngsters are taught the value of non-violence that when they become leaders of the country, they will lead the country in non-violent and peaceful direction.
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Chaitanya Davé is an engineer and a businessman. He has authored three books: CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: A Shocking Record of US Crimes since 1776-2007, COLLAPSE: Civilization on the Brink-2010, CAPITALISM’S MARCH OF DESTRUCTION: Replacing it with People and Nature-Friendly Economy. Author of many articles on politics, history, and the environment. Founder/President of a non-profit charity foundation helping the poor villagers of India, Nepal, Haiti, USA-homeless and other poor countries. He can be contacted at cahumanity@gmail.com.
He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
Featured image is from © Sputnik/Ian DeMartino
