War, Profits, and America

Idrees Ali Asghar Salemwala

violence and terror. From mental trauma to mass murder, the idea of war emanates from a

capitalist intention for gaining profits. The achievable profits are always materialistic and include

land/territory, natural resources, or for economic gain.1

Understanding the latter part of the 20th century, in the aftermath of the two world wars,

the notion of war because of profit is highly visible in all aspects. The first World war occurred

mainly as a result of European expansion and the power struggle that followed due to the

governance of the imperial nation (European Empires known as imperialism).2 The latter power

struggle triggered Germany and laid the foundation for the continuation of World war II. 3

In both world wars, the greed for profit considering political power and territorial

expansion is vivid among the major power structures, but on the macro level, America profited

the most from both world wars. It helped make America the most pre-eminent economic and

military power in the world.4

The World War is a war of production that required constant supplies globally to sustain

participating countries during the war and America joined two and a half years later in the world

war. During those years, America remained neutral and became the primary global exporter.

From $2.4 billion in 1913 to $6.2 billion in 1917, the value of all American exports increased.

Major Allied nations like Great Britain, France, and Russia received the majority of it, and they

competed to get American wheat, cotton, brass, rubber, vehicles, machinery, and thousands of

other raw and finished goods.5 In a nutshell, America shifted to the center of the world stage,
1
“War.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.
2
“Six Causes of World War I.” Norwich University Online.
3
Ibid.
4
“The First World War Helped Shape Modern America. Why Is It so Forgotten?” The Guardian. Guardian News
and Media, April 6, 2017.
5
Michon, Heather. “The US Economy in World War I.” ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, August 19, 2019.
transitioning from a debtor to a global creditor.6 It sustained its position as the strongest power

structure in the world.

When considering how one profits from war, America is the greatest precedent then

(from the 1900s) and now (in the 20th century). Its delayed entrance into the world war was to

maximize its profits in the war of production and conclude the war with maximum alliances and

resources; an utter power play. Today, the American military is present in hundreds of countries,

actively involved in the war including gulf wars, Korea, Balkans, Vietnam, Kosovo, Iraq (2003-

11), Afghanistan(2001-2021), and Syria (2011-Present) to name a few. After the world wars, out

of 248 armed conflicts that occurred in 153 regions, 201 conflicts were initiated by the US of

America.7 The active participation of America makes it the biggest warmonger in the world,

whose foreign policy was coined by Woodrow Wilson as, “The world must be made safe for

democracy”; making it the global watchdog for democracy.8

In the name of democracy, the US benefits from the resources obtained as a result of

colonialism and leaves the state in ruins as depicted in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, etc.

However, the US actively contributes towards global horror, yet always remains at peace. Peace

within its states, people, livelihood, alliances, and the country as a whole. The virtue of being a

warmonger with profits and a sound country at the core can only be observed in America in the

20th century. However, a similar characteristic of peace can be found in nations that unite with

America in their quest for war.

6
Ibid
7
Times, Global. “GT Investigates: US War-Mongering under Guise of 'Democracy' Inflicts Untold Damage on the
World.” Global Times.
8
“The First World War Helped Shape Modern America. Why Is It so Forgotten?” The Guardian. Guardian News
and Media, April 6, 2017.
 Pakistan, a country once prey to the colonialist East India Company and America at large,

has seen years of peace and turmoil after independence. During the era of Pervaiz Musharraf and

the imposed martial law in the 2000s, Pakistan was stable and progressing. The rupee held its

value at 70-75Rs / US dollar and barely fluctuated.9 It was all because Pakistan territorially

aided the US in the War on Terror in Afghanistan against the Taliban and in return got heavily

aided and reimbursed economically. 10

When Pakistan backed off from providing further support, the US stopped all the Aid and

reimbursements and caused economic hardships for the developing country.11 Additionally,

straining relations with America and other western alliances of the US weakened the Pakistani

Rupee against the US dollar ever since, further worsening the economic disparity within the

country. 12

In another example, Iraq during the 1980s was one of the richest countries in the Middle

East. Iraq had good infrastructure, including highways, etc, and its GDP per capita was higher

than China's. After the war with the US, Iraq became a poor nation where livelihood declined

and ethnic disputes grew. In 2019, 25% of Iraq's youth were unemployed, and one-fifth of the

country's population was considered to be living in poverty. Despite having enormous oil riches,

about 60% of Iraq's 40 million citizens live on less than $6 per day. 13

Afghanistan as the current example can be seen brought to ruins by the 20-year war with

the US in the name of ‘Forceful Democracy’. Being almost on the brink of universal poverty, the
9
Staff, MarketBeat. “Musharraf & the Rupee.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, August 18, 2008.
10
Banerjee, Sanjoy, and Gitika Commuri. “A Strange and Bittersweet Relationship: Pakistan–United States
Relations in the Musharraf Era.” Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs 1, no. 1 (2014): 41–62.
11
“Pakistan's Hard Policy Choices in Afghanistan.” Crisis Group, September 6, 2022.
12
Cheema, Pervaiz Iqbal. “IMPACT OF THE AFGHAN WAR ON PAKISTAN.” Pakistan Horizon 41, no. 1
(1988): 23–45.
13
Times, Global. “GT Investigates: US War-Mongering under Guise of 'Democracy' Inflicts Untold Damage on the
World.” Global Times.
withdrawal of America took away a massive chunk of foreign funding that used to run one-third

of Afghanistan's GDP.14 The condition of Afghanistan is likely to turn like Vietnam.

Although the Vietnam War was over many years ago, the prolonged conflict has resulted

in a crumbling economy, inflation, and hazardous living circumstances for the Vietnamese

people. Vietnam's population has become significantly more female than male as a result of the

nuclear attacks, which has hampered the country's ability to flourish economically and socially.15

The examples discussed above shed light upon the devastating attacks by the warmonger

US, and the strategies devised to either completely deplete the natural resources of a state (e.g.

Iraq) or colonize and rule over territory for a limitless supply of human and natural resources

(e.g. Indian Subcontinent). Discussing the above-mentioned points in the 20th century, the US

dollar is the benchmark in the international market and forex trading. With the state bank’s

printing press and opportunities like natural calamities and pandemics, the US pours in billions

of dollars that get printed without a check and balance. This never causes inflation as the money

is wisely distributed to financial aid and relief programs.16

All catastrophic events generate throughout the world have US involvement to a

whopping 80%.17 In these events, the US intelligently uses hired contractors for wars and

conflicts to safeguard its elite warriors for real wars. These privatized wars are brutal, inhumane,

14
Al Jazeera. “Afghanistan on the Brink of Universal Poverty: UN.” Taliban News | Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera,
September 9, 2021.
15
Goodman, Allan E. “Vietnam’s Post-Cold War Diplomacy and the U.S. Response.” Asian Survey 33, no. 8
(1993): 832–47.
16
“Theft from the Covid Relief Plan Known as PPP Was Even Worse than We Thought.” NBCNews.com.
NBCUniversal News Group. Accessed November 10, 2022.
17
Times, Global. “GT Investigates: US War-Mongering under Guise of 'Democracy' Inflicts Untold Damage on the
World.” Global Times.
and catastrophic to the scale of denying all human and animal rights.18 Hence saving human and

economic resources, the US turns this vicious act into a profitable cycle.

These profits are then either used by the country to spend on its people or to nourish

ongoing conflicts. According to the World Happiness Report, America currently lies in the 16th

spot according to the happiness index, where countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq,

and Yemen are not even mentioned in the list.19 America has achieved to maintain a cycle of

power that fuels terror and degrades other nations, while at the same time maintaining peace,

prosperity, and harmony within their country.

America is a nation rich in resources, heavy exports, and profits pouring in from wars,

and is still the country with the biggest world debt. The US is in debt to its main competitors

when considering the breakdown of its enormous cumulative debt of 31 trillion dollars; 20 e.g. the

top three: 1235 billion (B) to Japan, 970B to China, and 6.3B to the UK.21 It all makes sense

when we discuss who the US owes to as this is again a strategy to revoke funds to its biggest

competitor to have the upper hand when it comes to financing. Because the international market

works with the US dollar and America wants its competitors to never be against them else they

can revoke their billions whenever they want.

In a nutshell, the US is the greatest warmonger in the world that remarkably profits off

wars and mechanisms of terror. Concluding from the examples discussed above, peace is a

relative term for participation and alliance with the warmonger. A nation that participates in

18
“The Use of War to Profit.” Docslib. Accessed November 12, 2022.
19
Jljenniferliu. “The U.S. Moved up in This Year's World Happiness Ranking - Here's Where It Ranks Now.”
CNBC. CNBC, March 19, 2022.
20
Published by Statista Research Department, and Oct 6. “Public Debt U.S. 2022.” Statista, October 6, 2022.
21
Published by Statista Research Department, and Oct 17. “Major Foreign Holders U.S. Treasury Securities 2022.”
Statista, October 17, 2022.
proxy wars, conflicts, and events of cultural destruction, achieves peace in their region as they

are actively funded and protected by the war master; e.g. Pakistan’s participation in the Afghan

war with the US.

A 2018 feature in the new york times mentioned the writer Nicholas Kristof, who

claimed that “conflict is more profitable than peace.” With the facts stated above, it can be

concluded that peace can only be achieved by agreeing to the greatest power structures in the

world. Whether it be wars, a colonial attack, or participation in conflicts. To achieve internal and

financial peace, a nation has to agree to the terms of the power structure i.e. the USA.

America will never stop carrying its symbolism of being a watchdog for democracy even

after 100 years after Wilson set its ideal. Defensive wars and revolutions will only deteriorate the

country being attacked or result in a more aggressive attack by the warmonger. Hence, peace is

profitable but relative to being in alliance with the warmonger. The second a nation disrupts the

alliance or takes a stand against the new unjust policies by the power structure, the peace policy

ends with a halt to aid and destruction then follows.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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