Non-interventionists and antiwar activists are often accused of exaggerating the extent of US military actions overseas to make our point about the costs of empire. We are said to over-estimate US troop deployments and level of military activity overseas. We reject that assertion, but fair enough: let’s look to a more authoritative source for the answers.
According to the War Powers Resolution Public Law 93-148, President Obama is required to report twice yearly on US military actions overseas. At the end of December, the US president sent his latest report to “keep the Congress informed about deployments of U.S. Armed Forces equipped for combat.”
According to the report, US forces are deployed and equipped for combat in no less than fourteen countries! In other words, the US government is at war in 14 countries!
Yes, believe it not, here are, according to President Obama, our current wars:
Afghanistan
Iraq
Syria
Somalia
Yemen
Cuba
Niger
Chad
Uganda
Egypt
Jordan
Kosovo
Central African Republic
Tunisia
And yes, they are still out there looking for Kony!
Where else would the neocons have the US military deployed for the next half-year report? Iran? Ukraine? Russia? North Korea? We can only imagine their wish list. Meanwhile, the $1 trillion spent annually on the military is quickly bankrupting the country, making us new enemies every day, and as a result making us less, not more, safe.
Hat tip: David Swanson.
