War is a racket - Smedley Butler

[nicky]

“I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/115545.Smedley_D_Butler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

 

[cancat]

I think this has been posted before but it is an excellent read.

 

[nicky]

Here is a three part documentary called 'the power principle'. Despite it's obvious bias it's presented fairly 'matter of factly', i.e. without being overly emotional. I recommend. It discusses things I never knew like the allies crushing the left resistance in Greece and Italy (whom successfully fought off the nazis) during the 2nd world war.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/power-principle/

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Great thread, even if it has been discussed before.

 

[cannot]

this bloke was the real deal in regard to authority

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler#Military_career

his book is very good also

#WarMillionaires

 

[M Malice]

this bloke was the real deal in regard to authority

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler#Military_career

his book is very good also

#WarMillionaires

Thanks for the bump cannot, will have a look at the 4 and a half hour documentary in post #3 and your link over the next few days.

 

[cannot]

Thanks for the bump cannot, will have a look at the 4 and a half hour documentary in post #3 and your link over the next few days.

read or listen to the audiobook first

war medals are quite a recent thing ...

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

Thanks for the bump cannot, will have a look at the 4 and a half hour documentary in post #3 and your link over the next few days.

I know you're being genuine, but it's so hard not read that as sarcastic.

 

[cannot]

I know you're being genuine, but it's so hard not read that as sarcastic.

the book is very short

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

the book is very short

I'd rather read a long book than watch a 4.5 hour documentary.

I will read it in a few weeks.

 

[M Malice]

I know you're being genuine, but it's so hard not read that as sarcastic.

It's in 3 parts, I've watched the first 2, all stuff that I already knew and watched in other docos but very well put together, highly recommended first 3 hours.

The karma bus will eventually come for the USA, all empires eventually fall. They really are not who the masses think they are.

 

[awaremind]

It's in 3 parts, I've watched the first 2, all stuff that I already knew and watched in other docos but very well put together, highly recommended first 3 hours.

The karma bus will eventually come for the USA, all empires eventually fall. They really are not who the masses think they are.

It's all becoming much clearer now, we are in the golden age of the internet.

 

[M Malice]

 

[cannot]

I'd rather read a long book than watch a 4.5 hour documentary.

I will read it in a few weeks.

the audio book takes 50 mins

well worth it if you can put up with the Canadians strange voice

 

[Power Raid]

“I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/115545.Smedley_D_Butler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

It is very interesting that war and terrorism is a racketeering industry.

I operate a business in one of the more colourful areas of Mindanao where guns and be-headings are a part of life. We had a round table with the military, the catholic church and Abu Sayyaf to talk about a clear pathway forward. They all explained, none of them benefit from peace as the US money dries up without conflict.

So how does the industry work?

the Abu Sayyaf, have their fishing and other primary industry destroyed by the corrupt rich Filipino families that control the country and the corrupt "past" government regimes. This is achieved with the support of the church, that blind the voters with faith over reality. In turn the Abu Sayyaf turn to the lucrative terrorism, kidnapping and extortion industry.

US citizens, the world bank, charity groups and the Filipino govt send money to fund peace. This money is used to by US weapons, pays for security forces and corrupt charitable causes. All of this "public" money ends up flowing back into the hands of the rich and wealthy.

Then neither side benefits from peace as the only well paying industry is conflict.



Imagine if we banned charitable groups, NGOs and religion for interfering with local communities. Imagine if we had governments sign up to treaties that set minimum standards of protocol and made them accountable.

We spend too much time looking at conflict, the US and weapons traders when these are the symptoms not the cause.

 

[M Malice]

It is very interesting that war and terrorism is a racketeering industry.

I operate a business in one of the more colourful areas of Mindanao where guns and be-headings are a part of life. We had a round table with the military, the catholic church and Abu Sayyaf to talk about a clear pathway forward. They all explained, none of them benefit from peace as the US money dries up without conflict.

So how does the industry work?

the Abu Sayyaf, have their fishing and other primary industry destroyed by the corrupt rich Filipino families that control the country and the corrupt "past" government regimes. This is achieved with the support of the church, that blind the voters with faith over reality. In turn the Abu Sayyaf turn to the lucrative terrorism, kidnapping and extortion industry.

US citizens, the world bank, charity groups and the Filipino govt send money to fund peace. This money is used to by US weapons, pays for security forces and corrupt charitable causes. All of this "public" money ends up flowing back into the hands of the rich and wealthy.

Then neither side benefits from peace as the only well paying industry is conflict.



Imagine if we banned charitable groups, NGOs and religion for interfering with local communities. Imagine if we had governments sign up to treaties that set minimum standards of protocol and made them accountable.

We spend too much time looking at conflict, the US and weapons traders when these are the symptoms not the cause.

Great to hear from someone with first hand experience. Thank you.

 

[Snake_Baker]

This weeks episode:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-s...-days-after-accusing-it-of-funding-terrorism/

 

[sydney eagle]

There are a couple of biographies of Butler around. I have one of them "Smedley D Butler, USMC" by Mark Strecker and there is another titled "Maverick Marine" which I don't have (yet). I haven't read the Strecker biography yet. It isn't a long book but contains notes and an extensive (ten page) bibliography.

 

[cannot]

There are a couple of biographies of Butler around. I have one of them "Smedley D Butler, USMC" by Mark Strecker and there is another titled "Maverick Marine" which I don't have (yet). I haven't read the Strecker biography yet. It isn't a long book but contains notes and an extensive (ten page) bibliography.

is it good ?

 

[nicky]

William Colby is another man I am very interested in
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Colby

 

[Richard Pryor]

Does anyone know how credible Smedley's "Industrialists tried to recruit me to lead a coup against Roosevelt" story is?

I've never seen it debunked, but I feel like there would be tons of books and a movie about it if it were true.

 

[cannot]

Does anyone know how credible Smedley's "Industrialists tried to recruit me to lead a coup against Roosevelt" story is?

fact level creditable

its called 'the business plot'

 

[sydney eagle]

is it good ?

Having now read the book I would say yes. Pretty even handed and doesn't come across as a hagiography.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Reckon this vid goes well here.....Chris Hedges knows his stuff:

"The choice is a simple one: It's either Socialism or it's Barbarism.".....Yep.

 

[sydney eagle]

Does anyone know how credible Smedley's "Industrialists tried to recruit me to lead a coup against Roosevelt" story is?

I've never seen it debunked, but I feel like there would be tons of books and a movie about it if it were true.

There ARE books about it. I don't have any of them yet, but will probably try to get one or more soon. Will look up on the net and try to find some titles for you.