Few years ago, in soccer field my friends and I played for years, I got into a huge argument with the perfect picture of an American. Fierce supporter of Bush, back when his popularity was way up in the 40 percentile, with his eyes closed and one of those who believed then and the poor bastard who probably still thinks that Iraq had something to do with the 9/11.
We were going at it heavily about, well, me being right and he being wrong. I asked him to name five consecutive years since 1960, when he was born, when the US was not involved in a war, police action, unrest, invasion, or intervention somewhere in the world. He couldn’t, of course. I don’t even think he knew what the hell I was talking about.
I was trying to make a point that US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq had nothing to do with WMDs, Saddam, Taliban, 9/11, or any of the topics one could pick from the list that Bushies came up with.
The attack was inevitable, a word we hear about attacking Iran, and it would have taken place without any just cause.
Hearing the talk about “drum beats of war” in the lame news over and over again, I couldn’t help but thinking about what I told this lost soul some years ago on a football pitch!
So, I researched. I have to admit that at the time when I asked my “mimbo”, a male bimbo, to name five consecutive years, I had no idea that there were those many years or not. Amazing that my so called “research” pretty much came up kind of right. So, Tony, if you read this, rather, if you READ, look at the years between 1960 to present. I wasn’t that far off, was I?
I found the year 1675 as the start date. That was the year in my single research, where they started talking about American involvement in wars. Remember what I just said, “wars”. Not police actions, interventions, or whatever else you can name an action where a group of soldiers with guns and bombs go to another country and shoot.
These are the years where America was not involved, (the quite years):
— 1676-1689; 13 years
— 1713-1744; 31 years
— 1748-1756; 8 years
— 1763-1775; 12 years
— 1783-1800; 17 years
— 1805-1812; 7 years
— 1814-1836; 22 years
— 1836-1846; 10 years
— 1848-1861; 13 years
— 1865-1898; 33 years
— 1898-1914; 16 years
— 1918-1939; 21 years
— 1953-1960; 7 years
— 1975-1983; 8 years (we got lazy)
In the meanwhile, these are the countries, tribes, people, and nations we were involved with since 1675:
— Wampanoag, Narragansett, and Nipmuck Indians
— France
— France
— Great Britain
— Great Britain
— France
— Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli
— Great Britain
— Creek Indians
— Mexico
— Mexico
— Civil War
— Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary, Spain
— Germany, Italy, Japan
— North Vietnam, North Korea and Communist China
— Cuba, Grenada, Iraq, Libya
— Yugoslavia
— Iraq, Afghanistan
(Sources: About.com, American History Timeline,
The New York Public Library Desk Reference.)
My point in these senseless commentaries is why? Are there any other countries with this much activity? Any time in history? Damn it, I hope I don’t have to research this again, I’m so lazy on that. I rather just shoot from the hip, take some educated guesses and cross my fingers.
But really, why? Other than WWII, (that’s World War 2 for those who aren’t familiar), were any of these necessary for whatever the reason you can come up with?
What causes one nation to get herself involved in so many unrests all around the world. Morocco, for God’s sakes? Come on man, back then Morocco, Tunis, and Tripoli were the places we day dreamed about Ali Baba and the flying carpets. How did we get involved in that?
If we go by the years of involvement and the breaks in between, we’ll clearly see that it is time. Bombs and guns have been compiling in the wear houses with no “Sahara desert” to dump them on. Iran seems to be as good as any.
As long as there are a good majority of Americans who think Iran and Iraq are the same country, both Arabs covered in sheets and living in the desert, bombing them would be just fine.
I got to go now. Have to check on my stock in gun and oil companies.
