How Many Wars Is the US Fighting Today?

[Octafish]

How Many Wars Is the US Fighting Today?

Linda J. Bilmes / Michael D. Intriligator
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University

Abstract

The US has withdrawn from Iraq and is planning to do likewise from Afghanistan in 2014. This article argues that the US has been fighting at least 5 wars, most of which are unannounced and undeclared, and are fought with air power and robotics technology.

Keywords: drones; US wars; robotic warfare

Most people in the US and around the world, when asked the question in mid to late 2011, “How many wars is the US fighting today?” would answer “one” or “two”: Iraq and Afghanistan. The first has now ended and the second is in the process of winding down. The US still has some 70,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan, with withdrawal scheduled by end-2014. And, while the US has officially withdrawn its forces from Iraq, it maintains thousands of private contractors and State Department personnel in the country and, in addition, has expanded its troop presence just across the border in Kuwait.

In addition to these two large-scale conflicts the US is also fighting a number of unannounced and undeclared “wars”. These unannounced wars are fought mainly with air power and increasingly with drones rather than ground troops. If we define war to include conflicts where the US is launching extensive military incursions, including drone attacks, but that are not officially “declared,” then the US is directly involved in at least three wars – in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia – in addition to Iraq and Afghanistan. These unannounced wars follow in the tradition of many previous covert US military incursions, such as in Chile, Cuba, and Nicaragua. The difference is that advanced military technology now enables the US to fight such wars in a different way, which is far less transparent, and to sustain operations over several years.

In this paper, we first briefly outline the global scale of US military involvement today, outside of Iraq and Afghanistan. Second, we examine how the emergence of robotic warfare is enabling the US to become involved in more conflicts worldwide. Third, we look at some of the implications of this relatively new technology, and its effect on US power. Finally, we offer some preliminary conclusions.

http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/peps.2013.19.issue-1/peps-2013-0011/peps-2013-0011.xml

SOURCE: Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy. Volume 19, Issue 1, Pages 8–16, ISSN (Online) 1554-8597, ISSN (Print) 1554-8597, DOI: 10.1515/peps-2013-0011, May 2013
Publication History:
Published Online:
2013-05-03

Why we need austerity.

[Newest Reality]

1. War is Peace

Freedom is slavery.

Stand tall and proud and make your personal sacrifice for the war effort, comrades! Well, relax, it is being made for you.

Hail Freedonia!

[Neoma]

2. We've always been at war with...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. How much of the budget do we spend on hiring private contractors?

and for what purpose. Who has sanctioned this?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. None...that it can win.

[Mnemosyne]

5. K&R nt

[newfie11]

6. K&R