War definitely has its ugly side, but we all too often neglect the upside of sending men and women off to die. More soldiers in Afghanistan combat means there will be need to increase the number of Medevac companies from 28 to 35 since with more soldiers there is bound to be more casualties. Those who invest in coffin companies are bound to see an upsurge in their stocks as more people die. A half century ago, President Dwight Eisenhower warned about an industrial-military complex which regarded war as simply a means to make more money. There will be more soldiers in combat, there will be more casualties, there will be more food and clothing required, and so on. Some corporations make money from war, some really don’t care.
Of course, the flip side is the 3.4% raise in pay from a guilty minded Congress and president who regret sending people to their deaths, but the least they can do is given them another forty or fifty dollars a month in a pay raise.
Have you ever wondered if American society can be healthy, wealthier and wiser without war?