War and Foreign Policy

It is ironic that the leaders of the American state are quick to condemn foreign dictators as irrational when their own policies are often irrational themselves.

From its earliest decades, the defenders of freedom — known historically as “classical liberals,” “radicals,” and “libertarians,” have sought to reduce and limit the war-making powers of the state. Here is a sampling of thoughts from these liberals. 

Ukraine and Israel are current boutique wars of choice, connected to and very much like those the U.S. government pursued for profit and show in Iraq, Yugoslavia, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya and elsewhere. It is imperative to understand why the U.S. fights these wars.

The federal government uses wars as excuses to eviscerate American freedoms, spend trillions of dollars and rack up gargantuan deficits that will impose a heavy financial burden for decades to come. We oppose this, root and branch.

Herbert Butterfield, who taught history at Cambridge, had many insights on the sea changes brought about by World War I and the collapse of the Old World Order. The new order that followed, he realized, was not an improvement over what previously existed.

The growth of the state through war included not only developing new technologies for making war, but also coming up with new financial techniques such as inflation and other wealth transfers to the government, which made the increasingly expensive wars possible.

While the Ukrainian incursion in Russia’s Kursk region is dramatic, the operation does not change the fact that the Ukrainian position in future talks with Russia continues to grow weaker and weaker.

While the Ukrainian incursion in Russia’s Kursk region is dramatic, the operation does not change the fact that the Ukrainian position in future talks with Russia continues to grow weaker and weaker.

It has been nearly 80 years since US aircraft dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities, but today, nations stockpiled with nuclear weapons engage in reckless foreign policies. It is time to recognize the danger irresponsible western governments pose to everyone else.

While Kamala Harris has not said much about her proposals for US foreign policy, her associations and likely appointments speak very loudly for the continuation of promoting international conflict and domestic surveillance against dissent.