The USA – A War-Nation

1. Nice doco. Ofcourse, wars hace been major stimulus for USA economy since its creation.

2. Media clips are great for this kind of thing because there are so many of them you can cherry pick them to say anything you want.

   I agree with what I perceive his main point to be. The media as well as the politicians jump on board when the war is just beginning.

   But this is not non-partisan nor is it strictly fact, this guy as anyone else, has a view to get across. It is not really a documentary either, it is an opinion piece. Having said that, some good points are made. But it seems as though he believes that war is always unnecessary and that there is always something wrong with a nation trying to make a case for war to its people.

   I agree that there has been more liberal use of the military since the end of WWII. But my theory on this is different.

   We developed precision bombing during the second world war. Shortly thereafter guided munitions began to be developed. Civilian casualties became easier to avoid.

   Ultimately it seems that war is no longer the total destruction game it was during WWII. Warfare is somehow a less dangerous weapon. Whole populations need no longer be killed or displaced, whole cities need not be destroyed in the button wars. The documentary touched on this, but failed to arrive at the conclusion that I take from it.

   I believe the less dangerous weapon is the one more quickly drawn.

   So although war takes fewer casualties when it happens, it happens all too often. I’m not saying there is some solution I envision to this problem either. You cant put that genie back in the bottle.

   There always have been reasons to engage in a particular war as there are reasons not to. The thing we must avoid is going in half hearted. Worse yet holding back in any way draws out the action over longer and longer periods of time. Morale and public support decline, the media sours and soon the funding gets cut. At that point its an emergency evacuation and accomplishes nothing.

   It happens from time to time that a threat arises which propagates itself by force and must be stopped. The force need not be large or sophisticated. How does a benevolent nation unite and organize against that today?

   For all our recent mistakes, we give like no other nation that ever was, both individually and as a nation yet they ask for more. For all our wars, we acquire none of the spoils, we give it back and rebuild and for all this we are criticized.

   War is ugly and should be allowed to be ugly and quick. Only then will it be effective and reserved.

3. Do you think that the U.S. was justified to enter into military

   conflicts with Korea, Vietnam, Panama,and Iraq? I think most people would say no.

   I think most people would now agree that our government did in fact lie to us in

   order to enter into war with Vietnam and Iraq. I think this film has shown some

   very good evidence that we were lied to.

   What this film does not explain is why do we wage wars under false pretences.

   There must be a calculated reason for it. What is the benefit of these wars? Who

   recieves the benefits from these wars? Are we truely trying to spread freedom and

   democracy througout the world in this misguided way…by force. Is war an

   industry, an industry that has a great influence on our government, and that only

   flurishes when there is war? Are there other indirect beneficiaries to our waged

   wars?

   Is it about oil? Is it about influencing nations for the purpose of monitary

   profits? Who do the people in government really represent? These are the

   questions that need to be answered.

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