War Is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated Soldier

by Smedley D. Butler

In

Doesn’t seem like the big media have changed their spots much over the last eighty years, does it?

And who benefited from our lying our way into Iraq? The Halliburtons of this world, the war profiteer contractors and their banker backers.

is also highly desirable to have amicable relations with the grocer but it certainly will not promote friendly relations if you keep standing in front of his store with a gun.

Remember, that with all the harbors, docks and ships of England and France at our disposal in the World War it took us nineteen months to get 1,900,000 men to France.

Keep the arms Embargo on tight: They’ve been fighting for a thousand years in Europe. Don’t let them dot again those blood drenched foreign fields with the bodies of our American boys.

Having devoted most of the years of my life to the study of legalized murder, by which I mean the so-called science of war, I find it impossible to accept the theories of those idealists who are innocent enough to believe that the attainment of world peace is merely a question of joining the World Court, the league of Nations or some other international association for the promotion of brotherly love.

But just as the business of war has been an age-old racket, in this country and in Europe, so is the cause of peace becoming a racket.

Professional pacifists have discovered that they can work upon the emotions of some of our wealthy citizens with encouraging financial results.

World peace is a hobby that a lot of people like to indulge because it represents a popular cause, and they enjoy the spotlight of prominence.

Too many of these pseudo veterans have taken it upon themselves to speak for the real veteran.

find it impossible to agree with militarists who preach the necessity of massive armaments in order to preserve peace.

Nor do I have much patience with the pacifist who pretends to believe he can free the world from the scourge of war if people will simply refuse to bear arms under any circumstances.