Now we are in THREE wars and spending $2 BILLION a week...

[Logical]

How come this insanity cannot end?

While schools close and teachers get fired.

I feel like I a living in a dream world.

This is no longer "government of the people, by the people, for the people".

[Obamanaut]

1. We hoped for change, but the change isn't working out to be what I had

hoped for.

I never imagined the change would be two wars to three. Zero wars would have been a great change.

[Logical]

3. I 100% agree. Very disappointed. n-t

[hobbit709]

2. Because our lords and masters want it that way.

[soryang]

4. Only three?

I count five that we know of:

Yemen
Libya
Iraq
Afghanistan
Pakistan

Of course, two are argued to be one: AfPak. Also, the president says Libya is not a war. And that makes ONLY three!

Adam Tooze's book the Wages of Destruction concerning the integration of the Nazi war economy explains the characteristic of the "go for broke" effort at empire when war mobilization is acheived. Wilder military gambits follow one another until rival powers commit to war to stop it. The domestic economy is dismantled under the strain and only healthy workers have access to meat and suitable housing.

After ten years, we enter the Vietnamization stage in Afghanistan. How did that work out. The CFR appears to be taking the position that we should downsize in Afghanistan so we can escalate in Pakistan. Therefore the war effort expands it commitments and footprint relentlessly without any political check on its expansion until foriegn powers rise to the challenge.

[Angry Dragon]

5. I was thinking the same thing --------- 5 wars

Some people got killed in New York city and bush called it a war

Some people got killed in Pakistan and Yemen by the US ----------- I would call that war under the same definition used by bush

[Logical]

10. Good point! n-t

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. Not to mention the drug wars in central/south america.

NOBODY mentions the drug wars.

[Romulox]

6. That Nobel Peace Prize sure is working out!

:puke:

[tekisui]

8. In hindsight, I do think that was given to him prematurely.

And erroneously.

[tekisui]

7. The $2 billion price tag is for Afghanistan alone.

It doesn't include the cost of Iraq, Libya or Yemen. Nor does it include the Pakistan drone war.

[Logical]

9. Damn! Thanks! n-t

[lonestarnot]

11. Because pugs are in charge of the purse strings until we take them away.

They can't manage themselves out of a paper bag, but they like to think of themselves as managers. :rofl:

[xchrom]

12. Do we have $ amounts for bombs thrown @ Libya so far? Nt

[Terry in Austin]

13. Counting wars

Arguably, these are not so much "wars" as they are just business as usual in the business of empire. That's what empires do -- project power.

As with other empires before us, we're beginning to see the costs stack up against the benefits, and sooner or later it becomes obvious that it just ain't worth it!

If this were Rome, we'd be in about 25 AD -- the Republic is long gone, but an empty shell of it still stands.