Confession of a US Soldier

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Smedley Darlington Butler[1] (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. During his 34-year career as a Marine, he participated in military actions in the Philippines, China, in Central America and the Caribbean during the Banana Wars, and France in World War I. Butler is well known for having later become an outspoken critic of U.S. wars and their consequences, as well as exposing the Business Plot, a purported plan to overthrow the U.S. government.

By the end of his career, Butler had received 16 medals, five for heroism. He is one of 19 men to receive the Medal of Honor twice, one of three to be awarded both the Marine Corps Brevet Medal and the Medal of Honor, and the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal and two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions.

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What he thought of War from his vast experience as a decorated soldier fighting in many different counties...

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WAR is a racket. It always has been.

It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.

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The normal profits of a business concern in the United States are six, eight, ten, and sometimes twelve percent. But war-time profits – ah! that is another matter – twenty, sixty, one hundred, three hundred, and even eighteen hundred per cent – the sky is the limit. All that traffic will bear. Uncle Sam has the money. Let's get it.

Of course, it isn't put that crudely in war time. It is dressed into speeches about patriotism, love of country, and "we must all put our shoulders to the wheel," but the profits jump and leap and skyrocket – and are safely pocketed. Let's just take a few examples: (click link below)

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“I spent 33 years and 4 months in active service as a member of our country’s most agile military force–the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to Major General. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. I suspected I was part of a racket all the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all members of the military profession I never had an original thought until I left the service.”

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Smedley D Butler was a stud and what he said was/is very true.

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Let's put our military's fate in the hands of someone with no profit incentive. Worked well for the Communist bloc

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The point is that there is always a profit incentive, even in Soviet Russia. Sometimes wars are fought for noble reasons according to some, but there are always assholes that stand ready to profit off of them.

The amount that American companies profit off of conflict is pretty alarming. And it's only growing larger.

"CEOs" had no problem moving millions of American jobs to China over the last thirty years and somehow convincing everyone to blame unions so yea I really do think that CEOs would layoff people in pursuit of profit.

I rarely agree with ST but the basic premise behind the OP is solid. The biggest threat to a prosperous future for the majority of Americans isn't some terrorist or foreigner, it's their fellow Americans.

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lose money foreclosing on properties.

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This is obviously false.

Sounds like a democrat. Blaming everyone else except himself.

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Sounds like a democrat. Blaming everyone else except himself.

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I'm not a democrat, republican, or libertarian.

But I'll say it's remarkable how much republicans blame the government, especially when they're not able to put 2-2 together and see that the corporate ruling class owns the government.

Blaming welfare recipients for the debt, without recognizing wasteful or nefarious subsidies and giving no shits for how our currency creation system causes automatic debt.

Blaming schools for not teaching kids, while putting zero effort into teaching them themselves.

And so on.

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But I'll say it's remarkable how much republicans blame the government,

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Blaming welfare recipients for the debt

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Blaming schools for not teaching kids

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So, it's all republicans fault? Not that I would disagree that they and the liberals are partners in the destruction of this country, but there is plenty of blame to go around.

America is not a sovereign nation anymore, and politicians sell out the American people at every opportunity. The American voting public are comprised mostly of sheep.

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The last thing a bank wants to be is a real estate company.

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Unless of course they bought insurance that pays when you fail. Which they did.