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

War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated Soldier | Smedley D. Butler | Prescient

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War is a Racket: T...

	War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated Soldier Smedley D. Butler Feral House, 2003 - 80 pages average customer review:based on 44 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

General Smedley Butler's frank book shows how American war efforts were animated by big-business interests. This extraordinary argument against war by an unexpected proponent is relevant now more than ever.

Wake up America!!

War is a Racket is one of the greatest anti-war book ever penned. As a Marine veteran of Iraqi Freedom it is easy to disregard this a commi-b.s.propaganda , but looking further into what is "the war to make the world safe for democracy" ( not the infinite war on terror, but The Great War, WW1) We can see the true propaganda of business corrupting our sovereignty. The first casualties of war are common sense and open discussion. It is almost impossible for America to be truly attacked; if our forces were at home it would be virtually impossible to sustain any large force , even if it were, the Unorganized militia would crush them, providing we have not been disarmed by all the gun-grabbing cowards like Socialist Billy Bob Clinton and Mr. Fascist Patriot Act Bush. Wake up, learn from one of our most decorated warriors and open your mind to something other than "the terrorist are gonna get us if we don't go fight them in the sandbox". Gimme a break.

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Prescient

I found that Butler's sentiment in this book is not exactly "anti-war" in the sense that he disagrees with war. He does not. Clearly there are circumstances in which he believes war is legitimate. The only sense in which he is "anti-war" is if you are talking about unnecessary wars that America fights only to further enrich the powerful and wealthy, or to use a contemporary euphemism, "protect the American way of life."

The reviewer who stated that this book is surprisingly anti-semitic needs to provide specific examples, as there are no identifiable anti-semitic statements made by the Butler. Only if you view as anti-semitic Butler's desire to do nothing about Hitler since he was not, at that time, a threat to the United States can you possibly come to the conclusion that this book contains those sentiments.

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ANOTHER RARE GEM, IN THE PEOPLE'S INTEREST

This book is so brief that Mr. Steele practically reprints it in his review (see the first review on this page). He hits the highlights that I wanted to mention, but the lesson we all need to learn here is that...WAR IS A RACKET! Here's why: War benefits the elites and their agenda for expanded markets; the masses are NEVER told the REAL reason for the war (we only hear the lies-not endemic to the Iraq War, but to ALL US wars); the masses PAY for the war in taxes and lives. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their lives, or had their lives ruined by war, over the years and NOT ONE benefit to them can be named! If you read Tocqueville and use your common sense you will realize that there is NEVER a reason (valid) for the US to go to war. IT'S ALL A RACKET, as explained in this pamphlet by Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler, a true American Patriot.

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Powerful and Sad

4 Stars not 5 because of Intro (not written by Butler). Butler reveals an impassioned hatred of war because he is a human being with a conscience. It is so sad how indifferently governments and nations treat their soldiers and how ignorant and willing people are to rationalize inflicted death.

War is a Racket, General Smedley Butler

This is an interesting book that was initially written in 1936 by a Marine know as "The Fighting Quaker". It's still relevant today.
I learned of this through a Peace and Justice seminar given by a local college. The speakers were two IRAQ veterans who were essentially anti-war protesters. I was impressed with their passion.

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