Inbox: Are American Soldiers Losers and Suckers?

Despite Trump's near panicked claims to the contrary, the witnesses that testify to have heard him say as much are credible. Trump's selfishness and self-absorption know no bounds. He cannot conceive of anyone believing in anything greater than one's self – let alone believing in it so strongly that they would be willing to sacrifice their lives for it. And thus to the bafflement and irritation of those serving under him, he as president of the United States impugned the memory of fallen soldiers buried on French soil.

And yet ironically Trump was right – in a sense. Blind squirrels get an acorn every once in awhile. Trump spoke the truth though he didn't mean to and while his literal words are true – the meaning he placed in them is quite different.

While those are not the words I would use I will nevertheless appropriate them for the sake of argument. American soldiers have been duped into fighting endless wars throughout the course of the country's history. And while some identify the commencement of American imperialism with the fin de siècle Spanish-American War, the truth is the American Empire began in earnest with the negotiated Indian treaties of the 1780's and 1790's. American continental imperialism was but a continuation of British North American imperialism which was in full swing by the 18^th century. The premise of the Louisiana Purchase, the conquest of the Old Northwest and Manifest Destiny marked the beginning of a period of expansion. The Mexican-American War was a conflict rooted in rank avarice on the part of the United States and its territorial gains were substantial to say the least.

The Spanish-American War coincided with the closing of the American frontier and marked a serious attempt to enforce the hemispheric Monroe Doctrine and to solidify gains already made in Asia. Many forget that the United States had already blasted its way into Japan by the mid-19^th century. The progress was only arrested by the Civil War but was immediately picked up again in its aftermath. The point in this quick rehash is simply to state the obvious – even though it is denied by the US public and most academics – the United States is an empire.

Soldiers have been brainwashed into believing that they fight for freedom or for the defense of their nation. The last time the United States faced an existential threat was during the War of 1812 or perhaps during the Civil War – a topic that must be treated in its own right. For the sake of argument we can say that every war fought after 1865 was rooted in policy choices and objectives. They were chosen wars that were sold to the public. Their background was obscured, mythologised or simply lied about. In some cases the reasons were re-written and re-constituted even mid-conflict. These soldiers did not fight for freedom or self-defense. They fight for empire. If they're defending anything it's the system which must continue to grow and expand its power or die. They fight to secure resources and trade deals, to block rival nations and to project power. They serve the American Empire but they're not fighting for anything noble. They fight for gold or earthly glory. They fight for their stainless steel appliances, their granite countertops, the extra downstairs bathroom and the extra holiday at Disneyworld. They fight to defend the interests of Wall Street so that their retirement funds can be more robust – so that they'll be able to afford that Caribbean cruise or to pay for plane tickets across the country to attend their daughter's $25,000 wedding.

They fight to defend a way of life and the maintenance of power. Their freedom and wealth come at the expense of others and America has left a mountain of corpses and broken people in its wake. Literally millions have died so that Americans can enjoy their lifestyle which though sold to them in good brainwash-fashion – they call freedom.

Even World War II, the supposed 'Good War' is not what it seems when one investigates the events leading up to it, the conduct of the war, and certainly its aftermath. Hitler had to be stopped but there's more to the story – a lot more for those who are willing to invest the time.

Dead soldiers are losers in the sense that they have given up their lives for what is rightly called a vapour – a misplaced hope in lies their leaders have told them, crises manufactured by others, in idol-dreams of nations and false glory.

The world defines success in many ways – wealth, fame, a lasting legacy. For some it's glorious to have you name on a building or on a monument.

The New Testament calls this foolishness. A right, successful and moral life according to the New Testament is to live in fellowship with God made possible by the redemptive work of Christ and accessible to those who put their faith in Him. They surrender all and turn their backs on the world and all its lies (counting it as dung) that they might attain the riches of the knowledge of Christ and reconciliation with God. There is no other success that matters. The success of the victorious soldier, the celebrated general, or the enshrined political leader are vanity, mere futility. These things will burn up with the rest of this age and have no lasting legacy. That's hardly 'success'.

And so in that sense, those that have foolishly given their lives to the world and its systems, carried guns for the Beast powers and their masters which only seek gold and glory – they are losers. They are blind and to be pitied. They never figured out what life is and what it's about it. The fact that they were on a battlefield with a gun testifies to this. They lost their way. They were sheep following the flock led to the slaughter. They are to be pitied, not celebrated.

And in another sense they are suckers (or dupes) in that they were deceived by the lies of their leaders – men who were more than happy for them to throw away their lives in order to enrich and empower the few. They were deceived by the propaganda, by smoke and mirrors, by blind zeal for idols. They were deceived and destroyed themselves (and in many cases their families) not only for the enrichment of others (who were happy to throw away their lives) but they were also deceived into killing others for these same lies. They are murderers. When one man kills another it's murder but when a nation does it on a massive scale – it's suddenly moral and even a glory worthy of monuments.

These things are a shame on their eternal legacy and on that of their families.

A military cemetery is a tragic place and in Trump's context his statement was (in keeping with his character) disgusting. But there's a hint of truth in it even if he would be the last person to see it.