"Fighting for our freedom" - when was the last time this really happened?

[Hugabear]

We're constantly being told to revere the military because they're "fighting for our freedom". But when was the last time this actually happened? WWII was the last war that one could legitimately say that our freedom was threatened. Throughout our nation's 230+ year history, you could probably count on one hand the number of times our freedom has been in jeopardy. The vast majority of our wars have been either wars of conquest (Mexican War, Spanish-American War, Indian Wars) or wars to protect our "interests" overseas (Vietnam, Korea, Kuwait, even WWI could fit that category, as we were not being directly threatened).

I know I'm probably going to get flamed, but I am not attacking our military with this post. Rather, I am attacking the way our military has been used throughout history. Rather than using the military as a last-ditch resort to protecting our freedom, it's been used primarily as a tool to inflict our will throughout the world.

How much money would we save if we went from an imperialistic military to strictly a self-defense military? How many of our country's pressing issues could we help alleviate with the billions we spend every year trying to instill our will upon the rest of the world?

[yurbud]

1. definitely Civil War and to an extent, World War II. Before that, you have to go back to

the War of 1812 and the American Revolution.

[Hugabear]

2. Yep, those are the only four that I could come up with

n/t

[ixion]

13. yep, me too

the others, not so much.

[TWiley]

3. The whole "Freedom is not Free" mantra is unvarnished BULLSHIT

It is little more than encouragement for hawks, and equals a rude form of "warrior worship".

Unless, you are talking about civil revolution against an oppressive government.

[yurbud]

5. yep for right, freedom means putting the manacles and collar on yourself and giving the chain

to your corporate master.

[TWiley]

10. That is a war the military will not wage BTW

[yurbud]

18. yep, if you watch SIR, NO, SIR, the Vietnam War was shut down because military started

refusing to do things, particularly putting down domestic protests.

[DBoon]

8. a good ACLU lawyer does more to protect our freedom

than all the hawks with their "freedom is not free" bumper stickers

[codjh9]

17. Yeah, I'm sick of that too, and you're right about 'warrior worship'. I think our vets deserve to

be commended big-time, and I don't want them in harm's way UNLESS IT'S REALLY NECESSARY, but at the same time, I don't think we should put them up on a pedestal like gods or something, which the far Right does, unless of course we're talking about giving them good benefits, treatment, healthcare, etc. when they get back - then they conveniently ignore the fact the Bush & Co. have sucked at that, and so has some of Congress.

[prolesunited]

4. Not since WWII

after that, it was to keep the world free for U.S. and global corporatism, even moreso in our recent history.

[DBoon]

6. the military protects our sovereignty, not our freedom

only educated, active citizens can protect our freedom.

Without strong civilian control, the military is a threat to freedom. A military coup is how many democratic countries ended.

[Hugabear]

15. How many times during our existence has our sovereignty been threatened?

You can count the times on one hand.

[DBoon]

20. fewer than the times our freedom has been threatened

and almost always by internal opponents of freedom, typically the government itself

[TWiley]

21. I think Right Wing Domestic Terrorist groups are the biggest threat

I am not overly fond of the militia / survivalist groups either. The right wing racist groups are an absolute threat to everyones freedom.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. Everytime someone says that, I get furious. It's propaganda bullshit.

Our army is free protection for Corporate interests and an unending well of wealth for the Military Industrial Complex.

[maxsolomon]

9. EXACTLY. the other one is "defending the constitution"

Palin (she wasn't the only GOP pol to do so) used the troops as a shield against hecklers: "our troops are overseas protecting your right to protest".

and iraq is doing that exactly how? utterly offensive claptrap, and betrays absolutely no attempt to understand the anti-western imperialist rhetoric of al queda & islamists. OBL could give a fuck whether we have freedom of speech. he wants us out of the islamic world. period.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Even Worse Than That

I saw a Vets' Day ad on Military Channel to honor the "vets who provide our freedom".

Ummm, the founding principle of this country is that the rights are unalienable. So, NOBODY grants the freedoms. They merely exist.

At least the tag line you're complaining about has a little merit. Someone did fight and die to PRESERVE the freedoms.

But, no soldier ever granted any freedom to anyone here. That's no knock on the soldiers. It's just a fact.
The Professor

[HelenWheels]

12. Pearl Harbor

Wouldn't the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor qualify as a direct threat to the US?

[Bill McBlueState]

19. yes,

which supports the OPs claim that WWII was a legitimate case of "fighting for our freedom."

[Greyhound]

14. We could save about $900B a year if we dissolved the empire and concentrated

on defense.

Of course, that would mean shutting off the largest source of corporate welfare in America and make dozens of other countries bear the cost of their own "defense".

Not likely in this blood-thirsty country.

[codjh9]

16. No, you're absolutely right, and I've long been tired of sports announcers/writers constantly

hailing our troops as 'fighting for our freedom' in Iraq. I emailed one w/the Austin paper, who happens to be an African-American (I'm only mentioning that because it suprised me more than the white guys that he was saying this same shit), and said 'Fighting for our freedom? The Iraq War doesn't have a damn thing to do with our freedom, and our guys are over there being sitting ducks!'. Not surprisingly, he didn't respond.

[BDW1964]

22. WW I

The sinking of the Lusitania was not the sole or even primary reason for the entrance of the USA into World War I on the Allied side. In fact, we were not an ally, but deliberately termed ourselves as co-belligerents. Germany directly threatened the United States by offering to support Mexico in attacking the USA and reclaiming the entire southwestern states, to include Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California. This was discovered when the English intercepted a transmission of a diplomatic telegraph message, known since then as the Zimmermann Telegram. How realistic this initiative of the Germans actually was from our perspective 92 years later is besides the point. At the time, Americans took it very literally indeed, as there was recent and direct experience of Mexican incursions into the USA and attacks on American towns and homesteads.

[Eryemil]

23. Couldn't agree more. I say this all the time.

[Disturbed]

24. Is the US Military protecting & fighting for our Freedom in

Iraq &/or Afghanistan?