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War Is a Racket (1933)

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Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#41

Post by champagnois »

mrobot wrote: post #29
adventured wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where is major media in the US commonly arguing in favor of a US war with Russia? They're certainly talking about Russia re Ukraine frequently. I've seen a lot of the headlines spilling out of NY Times, WaPo, Fox, MSNBC, et al. and they're not arguing in favor of the US going to war with Russia. That's a very rare argument. Almost exclusively the arguments are about how to respond after Russia invades Ukraine, in ter…

You've completely glossed over the root of it here. The lie that Russia is going to invade Ukraine is the "Saddam has WMDs" Every time the US media talks about an imminent "Russian Invasion", or suggests that they are not the ones instigating the war, they are indirectly instigating war with Russia by lying.

Russia already did invade Ukraine. It has been taking Ukraine territory and waging war on Ukraine for years now.

Last time Russia took over Ukraine, they genocided millions; It wasn't that long ago, either.

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#43

Post by Tuna-Fish »

mrobot wrote: post #29
adventured wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where is major media in the US commonly arguing in favor of a US war with Russia? They're certainly talking about Russia re Ukraine frequently. I've seen a lot of the headlines spilling out of NY Times, WaPo, Fox, MSNBC, et al. and they're not arguing in favor of the US going to war with Russia. That's a very rare argument. Almost exclusively the arguments are about how to respond after Russia invades Ukraine, in ter…

You've completely glossed over the root of it here. The lie that Russia is going to invade Ukraine is the "Saddam has WMDs" Every time the US media talks about an imminent "Russian Invasion", or suggests that they are not the ones instigating the war, they are indirectly instigating war with Russia by lying.

Russia currently has troops on Ukrainian soil. They invaded 8 years ago, and the invasion has not ended.

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#44

Post by arminiusreturns »

drekipus wrote: post #3
sorokod wrote: post #2

Do check out the author, major general Smedley Butler USMC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

This guy is amazing and it really speaks of the troubles of war. >The flag follows the dollar, the soldiers follow the flag. I find this "business plot"[0] to be fascinating as well. >Retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler asserted that wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans' organization with Butler as its leader and use it in a coup d'état to overthrow Roosevelt. >Early in the com…

Don't forget that congress redacted a ton of stuff from his testimony and the unredacted version wasnt discovered until the 1970s or something like that.

Smedley Butler has always been my favorite Marine because he saw the bigger picture, and I like to give the Chesty lovers a talking to about the differences.

From my experience I can confirm that war is indeed a racket.

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#45

Post by petre »

slibhb wrote: post #17
adventured wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where is major media in the US commonly arguing in favor of a US war with Russia? They're certainly talking about Russia re Ukraine frequently. I've seen a lot of the headlines spilling out of NY Times, WaPo, Fox, MSNBC, et al. and they're not arguing in favor of the US going to war with Russia. That's a very rare argument. Almost exclusively the arguments are about how to respond after Russia invades Ukraine, in ter…

It's hard to sort it out. I've read stories in American media that describe a Russian troop build-up and make an invasion seem inevitable ("they wouldn't expend these resources to mobilize this many soldiers without plans to invade"). I've also read stories that claim the Russians only have ~10,000 troops at the border, not nearly enough for an invasion, and that the amount hasn't actually changed. The Ukranians seem…

Believe what you want but this¹ is a clear indicator that an invasion is inevitable. 10k troops is likely Russian propaganda. I've read the Russian point of view and it's basically "the US has provoked this by extending NATO into Eastern Europe, Ukraine is controlled by fascists". They have failed to install a pro Russian administration in Ukraine, so their only remaining option is "liberating eastern and southern Ukraine from fascists". I've posted a map with their plans but the comment was downvoted. I'm not posting it again but they basically want to occupy and control the whole Northern Black Sea coast.

1. Russia moves blood supplies near Ukraine, adding to U.S. concern, officials say

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/exclusive-russia-moves-...

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#46

Post by GeorgeTirebiter »

drekipus wrote: post #3
sorokod wrote: post #2

Do check out the author, major general Smedley Butler USMC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

This guy is amazing and it really speaks of the troubles of war. >The flag follows the dollar, the soldiers follow the flag. I find this "business plot"[0] to be fascinating as well. >Retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler asserted that wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans' organization with Butler as its leader and use it in a coup d'état to overthrow Roosevelt. >Early in the com…

Capitalists tend to dislike Democracy. In a Democracy, groups of people tax the Capitalists to pay for all sorts of frivolities like Health Care, Elder Care, poor folk care, and crazy useless stuff like Libraries, parks (aka future mining locations), policing, and community-sponsored housing.

It's so much easier for the Capitalists if there is a fascist in charge, because then such nonsense as just mentioned is tamped down, and the people can fend for themselves. Things are just more tidy and predictable.

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#47

Post by eezurr »

I read this book (or a good chunk of it) awhile ago and something was off about it. I didn't believe he knew what he was talking about. I dont recall any counter examples in his book, or him claiming he had direct experience with businesses matters. Perhaps he conflated correlation and causation. Some businesses are going to profit from war because demand for certain items will spike. But to claim WW I was pushed by business interests is a huge leap (with no other evidence than "hey look, people are profiting from this!!!")

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#48

Post by GeorgeTirebiter »

raintrees wrote: post #34

If interested, for more data including names and dates, try Carroll Quigley's Anglo-American Establishment or his Tragedy and Hope. For a shorter version, try Joe Plummer's Tragedy and Hope 101. If true, not all is as it appears. But then, in the day and age of propaganda, when is it?

https://tragedyandhope.com/ The text is available for download.

"Tragedy and Hope" is the most important History / Political book of the 20th Century.

If you want to know how the world Really Works, this is your guidebook.

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#49

Post by [deleted] »

xdennis wrote: post #33
causality0 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

America's initial lack of intervention in WW2 resulted in Pearl Harbor and German conquest of most of Europe Europe's refusal to follow Wilson's Fourteen Points plan and instead punish Germany as hard as possible is what created WW2 in the first place. Exactly how many of Europe's messes was the US supposed to help clean up before saying "No more"? Smedley Butler can stay forgotten as a footnote in the dusty annals o…

> punish Germany as hard as possible is what created WW2 in the first place People like simplistic arguments for WW2. But the truth is that the terms given to Germany weren't that hash, certainly not as harsh as the terms imposed by Germany on Russia and Romania in the separate peace treaties before the end of the war.

[deleted]

Re: War Is a Racket (1933)

#50

Post by credit_guy »

War is a racket. But to imply that the little guy does not profit is disingenuous. 330 million Americans profit from the fact the US dollar is a reserve currency. Countries and people park their money in dollars, and as the world economy grows, there's a need for more dollars, and the US Government obliges by running mind blowing deficits. In the old times, vassals would pay tribute, today, they simply buy US Treasuries. Tribute (or if you prefer, protection money) is the very definition of racket.

Putin and Xi don't like to pay protection money. In fact, they'd rather be racketeers themselves [1].

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/09/china-rus...

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