can't win at war

“Ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars… For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom… All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24.6-8).

What, I often wonder, does it mean to win a war?

I ask this question for two reasons.

First, I ask it in light of the so-called “war on terror”—given the terror of war, isn’t this an oxymoron? But what will winning the “war on terror” look like? When will we know it is won? And will the shambles that have been left behind be worth the win?

If I were to play prophet, I would say this war will never be won and will never be over.

But then, that is the pattern of America’s wars since World War II. One could argue that that war was won. We have been at peace with Germany, Japan, and Italy for three-quarters of a century. Such a lasting peace between previous foes qualifies, it seems to me, as success—a war truly won.

By this standard, however, America, with “its vaunted military machine, its brave soldiers, and its brilliant generals” has not won a war since. Korea? Vietnam? Iraq? Afghanistan? And how about the myriad of known and unknown “covert” and proxy wars in which our “intelligence” agencies have engaged—say Iran, for example. Egypt? Russia? Somalia? I would go broke buying ink cartridges to print the entire list. America hasn’t “won a war” in a generation. From whence does the American arrogance come? Not from winning, that’s for damn sure.

Not a single win. All we have done for the past generation is break things. Just call us “America, the beautiful world breaker.”

Oh, but, there have been winners.

Lockeed Martin? In a single year, they have been known to win some 66,000 contracts worth $45 billion—88% of their total revenues!

Boeing? In a single year, they have been known to win some 12,000 contracts worth in excess of $30 billion

Raytheon? In a single year, they have been known to win some 10,000 contracts worth more than $20 billion—93% of their total revenues!

General Dynamics? In a single year, they have been known to win some 20,000 contracts worth $20 billion.

Northrup Drumman? In a single year, they have been known to win some 10,000 contracts worth more than $10 billion.

United Technologies Corporation? In a single year, they have been known to win some 24,000 contracts worth 10’s of billions of dollars.

L-3 Communications? In a single year, they have been known to win some 7,500 contracts worth nearly $10 billion.

BAE Systems? In a single year, they have been known to win some 10,000 contracts worth 10’s of billions of dollars—92% of their total revenues!
 
Well, we could go on. We have just scratched the surface of America’s war winners. America’s warmongering is no longer intended to bring peace, only profits. And after all that spending, year, after year, after year, after year, we do not have one victory to show for it. Not one lasting peace.

And we have only dealt with the relatively trivial economic side of things. Shall we begin to list the number of American military personnel killed, physically maimed, and psychologically stunted and ruined? Shall we count the innocent men, women, and children we have terrorized, made homeless, and killed? What is the cost of all that?

Not peace, that’s for damn sure. And not “freedom” either. No America freedoms won in all of this! Only the captivity and enslavement of the American soul.
 
“In a rare act of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill, the Senate passed a $700 billion defense policy bill on Monday that sets forth a muscular vision of America as a global power, with a Pentagon budget that far exceeds what President Trump has asked for.
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“Senators voted 89-9 to approve the measure, known as the National Defense Authorization Act; the House has already adopted a similar version” (“Senate Passes $700 Billion Pentagon Bill, More Money Than Trump Sought,” Sheryl Gay Stolberg, N.Y. Times).
 
As I have said before, our political leaders—left and right--can agree on nothing except the need to “buy up armies and navies and reign with blood and horror on this earth.” Wonder whose brilliant idea that was?

And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth. And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things—” (1 Nephi 14.15-16).