Why are there so few wars?

[Blanquist]

There doesn't seem to be as many wars today as say, in the 1970's or 1940's.

Why is that? The world seems to be more or less at peace..

[Red Rabbit]

There's still plenty of wars all over the world, they just don't always get media attention.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Blanquist is a Fucking troll. You know the USA is fighting and killing in half a dozen countries, ongoing war in the Congo where the USA supports the dictator that just faked votings and sent the police after them and shot those who resisted? Malaysia, India, Nepal, Philippians, Colombia, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Libya, Mexico; a near fucking world war!

Fuck-ing troll...

[Blanquist]

There's still plenty of wars all over the world, they just don't always get media attention.

Only a very few, and very small scale.

[Blanquist]

Blanquist is a Fucking troll. You know the USA is fighting and killing in half a dozen countries, ongoing war in the Congo where the USA supports the dictator that just faked votings and sent the police after them and shot those who resisted? Malaysia, India, Nepal, Philippians, Colombia, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Libya, Mexico; a near fucking world war!

Fuck-ing troll...

Whoa, relax mate.

I don't know how you can call a few terror acts every few months in a place like Turkey and others as a world war.

All the 'wars' you listed are very small scale. Mexico, although one of the more violent ones you listed, is more a police matter, then a 'war' in any classic sense.

[Sten]

Perhaps there are less international armed conflicts, but I wouldn't say there are less wars nowadays ...

And it's a kinda obvious statement saying that the world today is more at peace than it was in the 40s. :rolleyes:

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

The imperialists discovered that you only have to start a war with countries that have oil.

[roy]

people are killing each other in droves every day. just because the word 'war' conjures images of wwii and vietnam doesn't mean that there aren't all manner of conflicts raging all over the world every day. for many, life is mired in perpetual violence. whether or not you want to give it the special title 'war' is just a words game.

[Nox]

1hsDn2kNriI

/thread

[Manic Impressive]

Imperialism today isn't about gaining territory it's about opening and controlling closed markets. That's why the three countries who are promoted as possible future "trouble spots" are the markets which are currently closed or hostile to certain factions of the bourgeoisie e.g. Iran, North Korea and to a lesser extent Venezuela. The other reason for war would be a rival bourgeois faction gaining too much control of markets, i.e. China

but don't listen to me I'm not a Trotskyist

[Blanquist]

Imperialism today isn't about gaining territory it's about opening and controlling closed markets. That's why the three countries who are promoted as possible future "trouble spots" are the markets which are currently closed or hostile to certain factions of the bourgeoisie e.g. Iran, North Korea and to a lesser extent Venezuela. The other reason for war would be a rival bourgeois faction gaining too much control of markets, i.e. China

but don't listen to me I'm not a Trotskyist

Off topic, but why is a regime like Iran's hostile to western powers? It's a capitalist country, they have their own billionaires and do a lot of trade with a lot of people, why are they hostile to America capitalism?

[roy]

Off topic, but why is a regime like Iran's hostile to western powers? It's a capitalist country, they have their own billionaires and do a lot of trade with a lot of people, why are they hostile to America capitalism?

the american bourgeoisie and the iranian bourgeoisie are different factions with their own separate motivations. there is no global bourgeois conspiracy. everyone's at everyone's throat.

[NoPasaran1936]

Only a very few, and very small scale.

War is war, you moron...

[The Jay]

West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, East Africa and the Middle East are a few of the larger ones. I should emphasize that almost a WHOLE continent is at war. We're still waging economic war in dozens of other nations, most too weak to resist. The United States in involved in three wars at the moment, don't forget North Korea. Nor should the War On Drugs be thought of as a simple policing action, it's a military action.

[Blanquist]

West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, East Africa and the Middle East are a few of the larger ones. I should emphasize that almost a WHOLE continent is at war. We're still waging economic war in dozens of other nations, most too weak to resist. The United States in involved in three wars at the moment, don't forget North Korea. Nor should the War On Drugs be thought of as a simple policing action, it's a military action.

There's a war in north korea?

And no, the 'war on drugs' is not a war, its a police action.

[NoPasaran1936]

West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, East Africa and the Middle East are a few of the larger ones. I should emphasize that almost a WHOLE continent is at war. We're still waging economic war in dozens of other nations, most too weak to resist. The United States in involved in three wars at the moment, don't forget North Korea. Nor should the War On Drugs be thought of as a simple policing action, it's a military action.

Philipines, India, Columbia to add a few more.

War isn't no longer big huge armies lined up to shoot 7 shades of shit out of each other, new war is about insurgency, and there is plenty of that going around.

OP needs to learn and grasp the basics of research before posting threads.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Off topic, but why is a regime like Iran's hostile to western powers? It's a capitalist country, they have their own billionaires and do a lot of trade with a lot of people, why are they hostile to America capitalism?

You are such a fucking troll.... Iran has the third largest oil reserves, second largest gas reserves. Have you heard of Mossadeq, Standard OIL, BP, CIA, The Shah Iraq-Iran war (funded by US-Iraq weapons sales and German-Iraq chemical weapon sales which Saddam used on Kurds and Iranians)? Fucking Troll, honestly, stop being an idiot, you're trolling here at every post you make.

[Blanquist]

Philipines, India, Columbia to add a few more.

War isn't no longer big huge armies lined up to shoot 7 shades of shit out of each other, new war is about insurgency, and there is plenty of that going around.

OP needs to learn and grasp the basics of research before posting threads.

Yes, I checked Wikipedia and the wars with more than 3,000+ causalities can be counted on your fingers.

While there are 7 billion people in the world and over 200 countries. There are a myriad of contradictions in the world. So I think this is a legitimate question to ask.

[NoPasaran1936]

Yes, I checked Wikipedia and the wars with more than 3,000+ causalities can be counted on your fingers.

While there are 7 billion people in the world and over 200 countries. There are a myriad of contradictions in the world. So I think this is a legitimate question to ask.

Oh wikipedia, the ultimate source of information.

[NoPasaran1936]

Oh, I understand OP now.

Must not only be May day, but 'I'm a complete prick day' too. Sorry, Blanquist, you're forgiven.

[Blanquist]

You are such a fucking troll.... Iran has the third largest oil reserves, second largest gas reserves. Have you heard of Mossadeq, Standard OIL, BP, CIA, The Shah Iraq-Iran war (funded by US-Iraq weapons sales and German-Iraq chemical weapon sales which Saddam used on Kurds and Iranians)? Fucking Troll, honestly, stop being an idiot, you're trolling here at every post you make.

OK, and Russia has the second biggest oil and the most gas. Yet they aren't as hostile to US capitalism as Iran is, although they are on much higher footing to be able to be.

Why are US-Iran relations so tense, when US-Turkmenistan (sub any other country here) relations are not?


This is the learning section mate, not everyone is a genius like you.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

There's a war in north korea?

And no, the 'war on drugs' is not a war, its a police action.

In Fact, the US War on Drugs is a War For Drugs, Banks laundering drug money, US Corporations selling the chemicals needed, US servicemen giving intelligence to the Colombian Narco state that uses Agent-Green with US agents (mostly private firms) on starving peasant farmers that happen to sell their plants to the "wrong" dealers, i.e. the NArco-bourgeoisie's, Narco-Colombian-States', and US Corporate complex's small time local competition. Coca production has increased in Colombia, and Colombia has gone from producing 25% of the worlds cocaine to 70% of the world's cocaine. War For Drugs.
I recommend you read the book Cocaine, Death Squads, and the War on Terror; US Imperialism and Class Struggle in Colombia which lists the methods used by the paramilitary groups, with reports of mass-graves and crematory extermination on hundreds of thousand "missing" Colombians. Fucking Troll....

[honest john's firing squad]

And no, the 'war on drugs' is not a war
Except in Mexico, where it's a war.

[Manic Impressive]

Off topic, but why is a regime like Iran's hostile to western powers? It's a capitalist country, they have their own billionaires and do a lot of trade with a lot of people, why are they hostile to America capitalism?


the american bourgeoisie and the iranian bourgeoisie are different factions with their own separate motivations. there is no global bourgeois conspiracy. everyone's at everyone's throat.
essentially this^^ but to add to this I'd like to throw in a random Kautsky quote.


The merchant does not live for his local customers alone, but principally to carry on business between home and foreign markets. The more intimate and easy this traffic, the greater his prosperity. Hence the merchant is international, or, to express it better, interlocal. Wherever he can make a profit, he is at home. The interlocalism of the merchant has its source in his commerce with foreign countries; and his position in the foreign market depends on the power of the State to which he belongs (whether it be an ancient city or a modern nation). A strong governmental power is necessary to his prosperity, and, above all, a strong military power. Hence he is always a patriot either at home or abroad, and particularly in the latter case. We see that he has been, ever since mediaeval days, on the side of princely power and Chauvinism in every place where the conditions are favourable to absolutism.

Iran is a weaker state with a weaker military. This means that their capitalists cannot compete on an equal level with US capitalists. So the national Iranian bourgeois has lent more towards protectionism in order to remain competitive. If their market was completely opened to the US and other western bourgeois' then the percentage of wealth from resources and the labour force would significantly decrease for the Iranian bourgeois. It was the same thing with Iraq, Saddam decided to start messing around with the price of oil the US didn't like that and asked him to behave, he called their bluff and they declared war.

[NoPasaran1936]

Except in Mexico, where it's a war.

Yeah, but comrade! Cartels aren't armies!

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

OK, and Russia has the second biggest oil and the most gas. Yet they aren't as hostile to US capitalism as Iran is, although they are on much higher footing to be able to be.

Why are US-Iran relations so tense, when US-Turkmenistan (sub any other country here) relations are not?


This is the learning section mate, not everyone is a genius like you.

Because countries like the dictatorships of Uzbekistan, Kasachstan, and Georgia are dictatorial satellite states for american Imperialist CAPITAL. Russia has its own bourgeoisie and they are very much competitive to and hostile to US and western capital, that's why the US has a bunch of nuclear weapons surrounding Russia, from Poland and Romania to Kasachstan. I swear, you're either a liberal, a fucking troll... or you are at the very least very uneducated, in which case i invite you to learn here.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

essentially this^^ but to add to this I'd like to throw in a random Kautsky quote.


Iran is a weaker state with a weaker military. This means that their capitalists cannot compete on an equal level with US capitalists. So the national Iranian bourgeois has lent more towards protectionism in order to remain competitive. If their market was completely opened to the US and other western bourgeois' then the percentage of wealth from resources and the labour force would significantly decrease for the Iranian bourgeois. It was the same thing with Iraq, Saddam decided to start messing around with the price of oil the US didn't like that and asked him to behave, he called their bluff and they declared war.

Yes, i agree with what you wrote here. I would also add in this respect, that this is the development in China: China is growing its military and is going to capitalise its own country to become more "self sufficient" and not so dependent on foreign capital. That's a big step you know. Don't know if capitalism has much more time to pull that kind of world changing process ;)

[Blanquist]

Because countries like the dictatorships of Uzbekistan, Kasachstan, and Georgia are dictatorial satellite states for american Imperialist CAPITAL. Russia has its own bourgeoisie and they are very much competitive to and hostile to US and western capital, that's why the US has a bunch of nuclear weapons surrounding Russia, from Poland and Romania to Kasachstan. I swear, you're either a liberal, a fucking troll... or you are at the very least very uneducated, in which case i invite you to learn here.

I really don't think Kazakhstan is a satellite of America. I think it maneuvers quite well between Russian, US, and China.

And there are no Nukes in Kazakhstan thats for sure, I also doubt there are in Poland or Romania.

You should embrace the fact the you don't know everything and we can all learn together. If you drop your hostility.

[Jimmie Higgins]

There doesn't seem to be as many wars today as say, in the 1970's or 1940's.

Why is that? The world seems to be more or less at peace..Well I think there are far too many wars and state-violence both withing and between countries, but on a scale of decades, there are ups and downs in these conflicts.

Both revolutionary time periods and times of intense and overt wars between ruling classes tend to come in explosions. For wars between imperialist powers, there's a build-up of small conflicts or indirect conflicts where countries try and win control of regions under competitor's imperial control, but when all other avenues are exhausted, the internal drives of capitalism compel these powers into an "all-out war".

So in short, even though there has been no end to military conflicts, why has there not been WWIII or some major direct conflict between imperial powers? The answer is in the post-war arrangements and division of the world. The Cold War could have become a "hot" war, but it didn't and so because of that the conflicts never reached to direct confrontation, always proxy wars and wars over imperial prizes and influence. Since the end of the USSR, the US has been successful in maintaining its hegemony. No one can outright challenge them to create a new imperial order and so conflicts have been small. The problem is that this is an inherently unstable situation - in fact the situation looks really bad IMO because you have an aging economic power (U.S.) with a huge military force and a rising economic competitor (China, as well as some other countries, but mainly China) who can not continue to expand as long as the older power calls all the shots in trade-deals and so on.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

I really don't think Kazakhstan is a satellite of America. I think it maneuvers quite well between Russian, US, and China.

And there are no Nukes in Kazakhstan thats for sure, I also doubt there are in Poland or Romania.

You should embrace the fact the you don't know everything and we can all learn together. If you drop your hostility.

President Nasarbajew of Kasachstan just visited Berlin three weeks ago to have dinner with Angela Merkel and sign new "trade deals". US capital is very much involved in the surrounding states of Russia, they nearly started WW3 when Georgia shot at Russia, and Russia invaded. See, this is the thing aggressive Imperialist states like the US do: they provoke and provoke trying to start a war to open further business opportunities and markets to capital. I won't drop the hostility until you stop trolling on the revolutionary left forum.

[Blanquist]

President Nasarbajew of Kasachstan just visited Berlin three weeks ago to have dinner with Angela Merkel and sign new "trade deals". US capital is very much involved in the surrounding states of Russia, they nearly started WW3 when Georgia shot at Russia, and Russia invaded. See, this is the thing aggressive Imperialist states like the US do: they provoke and provoke trying to start a war to open further business opportunities and markets to capital. I won't drop the hostility until you stop trolling on the revolutionary left forum.

Of course US capital is involved. So is Russian and Chinese. It doesn't make Kaz. a US satellite. And they for damn sure don't have nukes pointed at Russia, they don't have nukes at all. Very ignorant to assert that they do.

[Manic Impressive]

http://www.cacianalyst.org/?q=node/374

http://en.rian.ru/world/20090114/119491977.html

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

http://www.cacianalyst.org/?q=node/374

http://en.rian.ru/world/20090114/119491977.html

"07/03/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst" And i am saying it has just recently opened up its markets to western capital. Oil Workers striked in February 2012 and 14 were killed by the army, voting was suppressed, journalists locked up etc. And? Did you read about it in our "Free Press"? No, Kasachstan doesn't exist, neither does the human rights record of Usbekistan which is the close to the US along with Georgia, it is with the US at the UN always along the economic ties. But Kasachstan is the most vied for dictatorship in the last 10 years.