2) War Profiteering History

Military War History

The World History of Civilization is defined in many ways by War. Humanity is defined and called into question countless times over the ages by bloody conflict. Empires established themselves through conquest of other cultures by military and economic means. Subjugation of the masses has been a trademark of rulers, whether Despotic, Feudal or Governmental; but has no place in a modern democratic republic such as ours.

Not until the American Revolution had any rebellion succeeded to improve upon the authoritarian model that terrorist rebels sought to over-throw in the past. There were many problems even with new Federal powers, like taxes that forced rebels like Daniel Shay to treason. Many other countries eventually followed suit, with varying degrees of success. Many artistic revolutionaries were betrayed by the Military Industrial Complex.

The Industrial Revolution produced machines, factories, mass-production, and Capitalist Tycoons who would stop at nothing to undermine the civil liberties of the masses, control government, and greedily increase their own personal profit. Such practices are modern forms of dictatorial empires legally practicing under weakened democratic republics. John Brown was labeled a terrorist for fighting against slavery, but the very government that hung him soon went to War for the same reasons.

By monopolizing their respective industries and amassing huge personal fortunes, robber barons created propaganda against any competition, foreign or domestic. The sinking of the American battleship, U.S.S. Maine, was used as a red-herring to force War with Spain; later it was discovered that the Spanish did not sink it, but rather it was an engine room accident. The Nazis used similar tactics to gain power in Germany when they burned the Reichstag and blamed Jews. It happened again in the Gulf of Tonkin when the United States claimed that North Vietnam attacked twice unprovoked. In fact the CIA had been orchestrating South Vietnamese attacks against North Vietnam. The second claimed attack never even occurred (although President Johnson had announced it).

The Iran-Contra Scandal began as a US operation to support terrorists who opposed Ayatollah Khomeini and Hezbollah. Our executive branch sold weapons to Iran in exchange for hostages, and funding of anti-Sandinista and anti-communist rebel Contras in Nicaragua. After the weapon sales were revealed Ronald Reagan stated that the weapons transfers had indeed occurred, but that the United States did not trade arms for hostages. The investigation was compounded when large volumes of documents relating to the scandal were destroyed or withheld from investigators. Reagan later took some responsibility actions he couldn’t “recall”, and admitted they traded arms for hostages. The New York Times listed the following arms supplied by the United States to Iran from 1984-1986: 2,512 TOW missiles; 18 Hawk missiles; 240+ Hawk spare parts.