The American Militarist State

The United States has one of the world's most powerful armies. The country's influence and power can be seen on almost every continent and has few challengers. The US faces new competition from a world moving toward a multipolarity relative to international relations. China and Russia have moved closer together in both an economic and political alliance in response to American actions around the globe. This alliance may not be enough to neutralize American prominence around the world. The desire to remain the world's sole superpower has disturbed the peace. What has emerged from it is a new political and social phenomenon. America has molded itself into a militarist state. The national security state was used to describe how the US build up it military power and security apparatus to confront the Soviet Union at the expense of civil liberties. The American militarist state goes much further. It seeks to impose a global order by force and undermine liberal democracy as well as human rights. The American militarist state can only function under conditions of perpetual warfare and a military industrial complex. As long as their is an economic incentive in arms production a stable and peaceful world will never be attainable. The main objective the American militarist state is to maintain US dominance and  the economic position it hold in the world. Foreign and domestic policy have gradually been revolving around the US Military establishment. The American militarist state glorifies the armed forces combining it with a fanatical patriotism. While this is common among the conservative political factions, few leftists ever speak seriously about anti-war politics or criticize the the military establishment. Centrists even do this claiming to be part of a politics of moderation. There has been such a change in thought and public opinion that some acts that would be considered deplorable are now accepted. Aggressive war, civilian deaths, and war crimes do not phase the American public as much as in previous generations. From the end of the 20th century to early 21st, the US has shifted to a political model seen in authoritarian regimes. Countries may have democratic institutions, but the military has an abnormal amount of power. Sudan, Algeria, Egypt, Thailand, and Myanmar continue to struggle with the challenge of the military controlling civilian government. If the military or abuses of law are not confronted, it is possible the US could resemble an authoritarian political structure. The American militarist state was born out the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the War on Terror. The result is unrestrained military power having influence in world politics and domestic affairs. 

     After World War II the geopolitical structure changed. The defeat of fascism left a void in world politics that was filled with two new superpowers. The United States and the Soviet Union became enemies  for  global influence. The US began taking on a role as a policing figure to counter the Soviet Union. NATO was formed as a military alliance against the Soviet Union. Russia formed the Warsaw Pact as a response.  The former African and Asian colonies of the European empires were joining the non-aligned movement. This was known as the Third World, which became areas of Cold War conflict. What emerged was the myth America was the defender of the free world. The United States aided and fought for various dictatorships as long as they were anti-communist. Leaders such as Joseph Mobutu( DRC  ) , Ferdinand Marcos ( Philippines)  , Ngo Diem (South Vietnam ) , Suharto (Indonesia ), and Augusto Pinochet (Chile) served US interests. This was why their human rights abuses were never scrutinized.  The origins of the American militarist state emerged from containment policy . The United States fought wars in Korea, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. As the British Empire and France lost their colonies, America's involvement grew in both Africa and Asia. From 1950 to 1989 the US justified military action using anti-communism as a reason. 

 The Korean War was a turning point. The containment policy put the US on the path to war on various continents. 

Simultaneously, the US was engaged in a nuclear arms race with Russia. Nuclear war was avoided, but only through diplomacy.  The Cuban missile crisis was a point in which nuclear brinkmanship put the world in danger. Nuclear weapons did not prevent the two superpowers going to war. The devastation that was caused by World War II was an event both countries wanted to avoid. The Soviet Union suffered more, due to the German invasion. Russia would have not been able to survive another World War. Yet, a myth emerged that the Soviet Union was set on global domination. A simplistic world view cast America as a protagonist and Russia as international menace. The world was undergoing a realignment and the communist governments around the world were not monoliths. Albania and Yugoslavia did not follow a Soviet model. China and Russia relations deteriorated in the late 1950s resulting in the Sino-Soviet split. Cuba's communism was adjusted to its Latin American political traditions. The non-aligned movement did not favor the US or the U.S.S.R  in terms of world politics. The objective of the newly independent states was development and preserving national sovereignty. What these new nations discovered was  the US targeted  them for their natural resources. The CIA became involved in deposing legitimate governments Guatemala, Iran, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Chile. The defeat in Vietnam did not cause the US to adopt a more peaceful policy. At the end of the Cold War saw an invasion of Grenada , Panama, and airstrikes on Libya. CIA covert action in Afghanistan would have dire consequences years later. Between the years of 1989 to 1991 the Soviet Union underwent a deterioration. Without another superpower, the justification for a permanent state of warfare could not be maintained. One opportunity did come with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The American militarist state had another reason to exist. 

       The myth of human rights and democracy promotion  has been used to keep the US involved in military intervention. The expansion of warfare only undermines liberal democracy. Imposing political system by force is nothing more than disguised neo-colonial imperialism . The Gulf War and the Iraq War was not about liberating people from Saddam Hussein. The intent was to ensure the US has access to the oil of the Middle East. The bombing of Kosovo was not out of concern for  ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia. A federal socialist government  model could not coexist with neoliberal capitalist  EU states. The United States recognized three of the Yugoslav republics. Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina were given recognition in 1992, while Yugoslavia was in a state of civil war. Instead of attempting to mediate an intense situation the US and European Community aided in its collapse. New countries that were war torn would require financial assistance . Even with a change in administration certain nations faced attack. The US was part of a UN mission in Somalia and conducted a failed raid in 1993. Iraq although under sanction was subject to bombing in 1998. Operation Desert Fox  was an act of aggression and justified by the accusation that Iraq was not complying with the UN Security Council resolutions. Iraq was suspected of hiding weapons of mass destruction. When Iraq was invaded in 2003, no weapons of mass destruction were found. The US wants to present acts of aggressive warfare as saving people from tyrants or terrible conditions. War as it is in the American militarist state is necessary to save civilians. The illusion is shattered when the results of nation building projects are shown. Before Iraq, Afghanistan was an experimental area for the neoconservative  vision. Twenty years the United States could not defeat the Taliban or Haqqani  Network. Drone strikes and acts of terrorism caused a high amount of civilian death. The mendacious claim used was that the US was fighting for women's rights and to free the Afghans from Taliban rule. What  the state transformed into was a puppet government with an insurgency that it was not able to defeat. 

When America entered the 21st century, anti-communism was replaced with counter-terrorism. The military intervention  parallels  containment policy. Acts of aggressive war were conducted in both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The military direction of the United States went from anti-communism and counter-terrorism. There is a stark difference. Communism is an economic and political ideology. Terrorism is a tactic of using violence to achieve a political aim. Attempting to wage war on a tactic is not possible. The War on Terror is nothing more than coded language for endless military intervention. The label terrorist could be applied to any country. The United States between 2001 to 2017 used counter-terrorism to strengthen the militarist state. The death of Osama Bin Laden and the decline of Al-Qaeda's significance caused the argument to lose cogency. Syria and Libya were attacked under responsibility to protect concept rather than counter-terrorism. The drone strikes in Yemen are the only example of counter-terrorism being used an excuse for aggression against the Houthi rebels. A new existential threat needed to be imagined. 

     Relations with China, Russia, and the US have been in sharp decline. Russia  has once more been demonized by the US. China a rising economic and military power has caused fear in the US-EU elite. The American militarist state welcomes the new era of tension and possible conflict. Developing a new Cold War or sparking mass global conflict enables a permanent state of warfare. Counter-terrorism has reached its limit. Fighting ISIS, Al-Shabab, or Al-Qaeda will not longer be enough to get public support. Creating one enemy allow for people to be more fearful. Presenting Russia and China as nefarious countries contributes to preparing the public for military action. Narratives do not need to follow any logic. The United States remains at the moment, the most powerful country in the world. America's influence extends across the globe. Russia and China would not be able to win in a conflict against the US. The notion that both countries are striving for  world conquest is more farcical than fact. The United States has more military bases around the world and  high quality military equipment. Both Russia and China  have to take a defensive position in relation to America. NATO is another military extension which could in the distant future expand. The United States is shifting its attention to Asia-Pacific. The sale of nuclear submarines to Australia, demonstrates that the Asia pivot is going to be a permanent part of US foreign policy. Tensions between Taiwan and China are exploited to expand America's influence in the Asia-Pacific region. North Korea also becomes a  justification for belligerent actions by the US. The dispute in the South China Sea is between various Asian nations. However, America interferes as a method of provoking China. Efforts or attempts at diplomacy are either rejected or not given a chance. The United States of America wants to remain the world's sole superpower no matter the cost. Doing this risks military confrontation with both China and Russia. 

        The American militarist state makes regime change a foreign policy objective. The United States has a long history of removing governments and establishing authoritarian regimes that support American policies. Countries that are able to resist the US are either subject to extreme sanctions, sabotage, or bombing. Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran  are nations that may at some point see military strikes from the US. Cuba has been subject to US sanctions since 1962 and  no matter what presidential administration they remain in place. Venezuela is a candidate for invasion. The United States induced a coup under the Bush administration in 2002. The Obama administration continued to pressure the Hugo Chavez government. Both the Trump and Biden administrations  made attempts to have President  Nicholas Maduro deposed. Regime change is made to be a humanitarian mission, rather than what it really is. The US wants to establish puppet governments that are subordinate to geopolitical interests. A powerful Iran undermines America's foothold in the Arabian peninsula. Without regional resistance, the US would have a more access to oil fields of the region. This explains why the US refuses to leave Syria, because of its oil resources and alliance to Iran. If both governments were to fall, America would have a free hand to mold the region. Waging aggressive war in a blatant manner would generate international condemnation. To avoid backlash, the US will  use elements of asymmetric  warfare combined with degrading the economy of a particular country. CIA funded armed groups or opposition can help in causing internal insurrection. Sanctions and diplomatic isolation are methods to further crush a nation. What are referred to as rouge states do not have enough military power to be serious threats. The US has the power to destroy or destabilize numerous regions. What stops it to a degree is international public opinion and the aftermath of massive conflicts. Refugees, war crimes, and diplomatic disputes hinder America's ability to act without restraint. There will come a time in which the country becomes so abusive the majority of the world might unite against it. 

      The public has been conditioned to believe that all of the wars waged are for a just cause. Pro-war propaganda has been a part of the media and entertainment. Paid patriotism at football games and news programs acting as a public relations arm for the Pentagon are just a few examples. The military has gained a larger influence over American culture. It is not enough to have influence over foreign policy. The cultural narrative must be centered around the idea that the US must constantly fight an enemy. More commercials appear on television directed at young men and women to join the US military. It is presented as a stable career  that comes with opportunities for advancement. For some, it is a way to get a college education. There are benefits, but the more negative aspects are not mentioned in recruitment. Veterans struggle with homelessness and unemployment. Issues with the distribution of benefits are a persistent problem. The way veterans are treated is not the best example of an honorable fighting force. The American militarist state makes it seem as if this institutional corruption does not exist. The military is depicted as a heroic force for good. Despite the long history of atrocities, the myth is agreed upon both the liberal and conservative factions of  American politics. The existential crisis is when the realities of a multipolar world order and military defeat are apparent. Complex geopolitical issues are reduced to simplistic analysis as a battle between good and evil. Sometimes there is no righteous cause; there are malevolent actors. Fear has to be presented in the media about certain nations, races, and various groups. This is the only means in which the US military can control pubic perception of its actions. The national security apparatus is not designed for protecting people living in the US. It exist to maintain American geopolitical dominance. Holidays such as Veteran's Day and Memorial Day are used to advance political agendas, when it is really meant to remember those who lost their lives. Instead their deaths are used as an excuse to expand conflict. To oppose wars in American culture has become a sign of disloyalty. As social problems increase this type of aggressive jingoistic ideology becomes more acceptable. It creates cohesion in a society in gradual decay. Americans are becoming  more divided by class, race, and politics.  The militarist state maintains its power by directing that hostility overseas. 

       The economic incentive is a major element of the American militarist state. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and various arms manufacturers  make enormous profit from warfare. The military  industrial complex is a significant part of the US economy. The irony is that it causes economic instability. To maintain a war machine of this magnitude requires an immense amount of funds. The US citizen must therefore pay higher federal income tax to aid the military budget. If money is being extracted mostly from the poor and middle class excluding the rich economic health suffers. The majority become impoverished, while simultaneously education, infrastructure, and welfare programs are underfunded. The public appears to favor this immense flow of money to the military, despite the repercussions. The money that is spent on weapons, military bases, and aircraft could be used for healthcare or universal basic income. The American militarist state is supported by corporations intent on increasing profit maximization.. Peace would mean an end to business. Networks of lobbying allow defense contractors to have hold over particular political figures. This explains why there is no significant change related reducing US military engagements. The economic motivations are too powerful. The majority of countries that America has attacked are one's with certain natural resources. Fossil fuels are becoming  scarce and the United States is slow to make the transition to alternative energy. Consumption increases and demand remains high. Oil rich nations such as Venezuela, Libya, and  Iraq were inevitably going to be targeted by the United States. Afghanistan has vast mineral wealth that has not been fully explored. An empire tends to extract resources from its colonies. The problem is that the US met large amounts of resistance from the nations that it invaded. The profit came from the production of tanks, aircraft, and guns. Private security companies benefited from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The American militarist state does not exist for a political purpose only. The military industrial complex is part of a larger economic foundation.

        The American militarist state has impacted daily life. Violence becomes more common within the United States. Militarized law enforcement is a growing concern. Weapons used in past conflicts are given to various police departments throughout the nation. The obsession with war is transforming America into a police state. Every aspect of life becomes more focused on security. Those who oppose the establishment are going to be the victims of violence. The abuse of protesters in the anti-racist demonstrations in 2020 was a reminder of the power of the American militarist state. Fears of future coups or mass civil unrest have been discussed in political circles. The combination of militarized law enforcement and an extremist faction of the US military could mean the representative  republic is in a fragile condition. Individuals are becoming more paranoid of what the government classifies as potential threats. Inducing trepidation and uncertainty into the public is a means controlling them. Militarized police and a huge military budget are justified as maintaining security. The illusion of safety is cover to increase government power and reduce legal protections for citizens. There may be a time in which material conditions become so awful that the population might revolt. Multiple injustices and economic inequality could be a catalyst for mass insurrection across the US. If it spreads the military would respond. The methods of war and military occupation would be applied to US streets. A country cannot go around the world inflicting violence with out  repercussion. The abuses in Asia, Africa, and Latin America will be replicated on American soil. The United States has undergone a dramatic transformation. The shift went from being a mere national security state to a militarist aggressor. The objective is not to reduce war or conflict, but how to start new disputes. The United States continues to embrace the militarist state at the expense of basic rights and freedoms.