America Has Been At War 93% of the Time – 222 Out of 239 Years – Since 1776

[Exocet]

Protecting "freedom" FTW!!

Below, I have reproduced a year-by-year timeline of America’s wars, which reveals something quite interesting: since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 214 out of her 235 calendar years of existence. In other words, there were only 21 calendar years in which the U.S. did not wage any wars.

To put this in perspective:

* Pick any year since 1776 and there is about a 91% chance that America was involved in some war during that calendar year.

* No U.S. president truly qualifies as a peacetime president. Instead, all U.S. presidents can technically be considered “war presidents.”

* The U.S. has never gone a decade without war.

* The only time the U.S. went five years without war (1935-40) was during the isolationist period of the Great Depression.

* * *
Here is a graphic depiction of U.S. wars:

http://i1.wp.com/www.loonwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/US-war-graph.jpg?zoom=1.5&resize=426%2C386

And here is the year-by-year timeline of America’s major wars:

****

Year-by-year Timeline of America’s Major Wars (1776-2011)

1776 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamagua Wars, Second Cherokee War, Pennamite-Yankee War

1777 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Second Cherokee War, Pennamite-Yankee War

1778 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War

1779 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War

1780 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War

1781 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War

1782 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War

1783 – American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War

1784 – Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite-Yankee War, Oconee War

1785 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1786 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1787 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1788 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1789 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1790 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1791 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1792 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1793 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1794 – Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War

1795 – Northwest Indian War

1796 – No major war

1797 – No major war

1798 – Quasi-War

1799 – Quasi-War

1800 – Quasi-War

1801 – First Barbary War

1802 – First Barbary War

1803 – First Barbary War

1804 – First Barbary War

1805 – First Barbary War

1806 – Sabine Expedition

1807 – No major war

1808 – No major war

1809 – No major war

1810 – U.S. occupies Spanish-held West Florida

1811 – Tecumseh’s War

1812 – War of 1812, Tecumseh’s War, Seminole Wars, U.S. occupies Spanish-held Amelia Island and other
parts of East Florida

1813 – War of 1812, Tecumseh’s War, Peoria War, Creek War, U.S. expands its territory in West Florida

1814 – War of 1812, Creek War, U.S. expands its territory in Florida, Anti-piracy war

1815 – War of 1812, Second Barbary War, Anti-piracy war

1816 – First Seminole War, Anti-piracy war

1817 – First Seminole War, Anti-piracy war

1818 – First Seminole War, Anti-piracy war

1819 – Yellowstone Expedition, Anti-piracy war

1820 – Yellowstone Expedition, Anti-piracy war

1821 – Anti-piracy war (see note above)

1822 – Anti-piracy war (see note above)

1823 – Anti-piracy war, Arikara War

1824 – Anti-piracy war

1825 – Yellowstone Expedition, Anti-piracy war

1826 – No major war

1827 – Winnebago War

1828 – No major war

1829 – No major war

1830 – No major war

1831 – Sac and Fox Indian War

1832 – Black Hawk War

1833 – Cherokee Indian War

1834 – Cherokee Indian War, Pawnee Indian Territory Campaign

1835 – Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Second Creek War

1836 – Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Second Creek War, Missouri-Iowa Border War

1837 – Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Second Creek War, Osage Indian War, Buckshot War

1838 – Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Buckshot War, Heatherly Indian War

1839 – Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars

1840 – Seminole Wars, U.S. naval forces invade Fiji Islands

1841 – Seminole Wars, U.S. naval forces invade McKean Island, Gilbert Islands, and Samoa

1842 – Seminole Wars

1843 – U.S. forces clash with Chinese, U.S. troops invade African coast

1844 – Texas-Indian Wars

1845 – Texas-Indian Wars

1846 – Mexican-American War, Texas-Indian Wars

1847 – Mexican-American War, Texas-Indian Wars

1848 – Mexican-American War, Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War

1849 – Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians

1850 – Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Yuma War, California Indian Wars, Pitt River Expedition

1851 – Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, Yuma War, Utah Indian Wars, California Indian Wars

1852 – Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Yuma War, Utah Indian Wars, California Indian Wars

1853 – Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Yuma War, Utah Indian Wars, Walker War, California Indian Wars

1854 – Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians

1855 – Seminole Wars, Texas-Indian Wars, Cayuse War, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Yakima War, Winnas Expedition, Klickitat War, Puget Sound War, Rogue River Wars, U.S. forces invade Fiji Islands and Uruguay

1856 – Seminole Wars, Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, California Indian Wars, Puget Sound War, Rogue River Wars, Tintic War

1857 – Seminole Wars, Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, California Indian Wars, Utah War, Conflict in Nicaragua

1858 – Seminole Wars, Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Mohave War, California Indian Wars, Spokane-Coeur d’Alene-Paloos War, Utah War, U.S. forces invade Fiji Islands and Uruguay

1859 Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, California Indian Wars, Pecos Expedition, Antelope Hills Expedition, Bear River Expedition, John Brown’s raid, U.S. forces launch attack against Paraguay, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1860 – Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Paiute War, Kiowa-Comanche War

1861 – American Civil War, Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Cheyenne Campaign

1862 – American Civil War, Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Cheyenne Campaign, Dakota War of 1862,

1863 – American Civil War, Texas-Indian Wars, Southwest Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Cheyenne Campaign, Colorado War, Goshute War

1864 – American Civil War, Texas-Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Cheyenne Campaign, Colorado War, Snake War

1865 – American Civil War, Texas-Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Colorado War, Snake War, Utah’s Black Hawk War

1866 – Texas-Indian Wars, Navajo Wars, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Snake War, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Red Cloud’s War, Franklin County War, U.S. invades Mexico, Conflict with China

1867 – Texas-Indian Wars, Long Walk of the Navajo, Apache Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Snake War, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Red Cloud’s War, Comanche Wars, Franklin County War, U.S. troops occupy Nicaragua and attack Taiwan

1868 – Texas-Indian Wars, Long Walk of the Navajo, Apache Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Snake War, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Red Cloud’s War, Comanche Wars, Battle of Washita River, Franklin County War

1869 – Texas-Indian Wars, Apache Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Comanche Wars, Franklin County War

1870 – Texas-Indian Wars, Apache Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Comanche Wars, Franklin County War

1871 – Texas-Indian Wars, Apache Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Comanche Wars, Franklin County War, Kingsley Cave Massacre, U.S. forces invade Korea

1872 – Texas-Indian Wars, Apache Wars, Utah’s Black Hawk War, Comanche Wars, Modoc War, Franklin County War

1873 – Texas-Indian Wars, Comanche Wars, Modoc War, Apache Wars, Cypress Hills Massacre, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1874 – Texas-Indian Wars, Comanche Wars, Red River War, Mason County War, U.S. forces invade
Mexico

1875 – Conflict in Mexico, Texas-Indian Wars, Comanche Wars, Eastern Nevada, Mason County War,
Colfax County War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1876 – Texas-Indian Wars, Black Hills War, Mason County War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1877 – Texas-Indian Wars, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Black Hills War, Nez Perce War,
Mason County War, Lincoln County War, San Elizario Salt War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1878 – Paiute Indian conflict, Bannock War, Cheyenne War, Lincoln County War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1879 – Cheyenne War, Sheepeater Indian War, White River War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1880 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1881 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1882 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1883 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1884 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1885 – Apache Wars, Eastern Nevada Expedition, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1886 – Apache Wars, Pleasant Valley War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1887 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1888 – U.S. show of force against Haiti, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1889 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1890 – Sioux Indian War, Skirmish between 1st Cavalry and Indians, Ghost Dance War, Wounded Knee,
U.S. forces invade Mexico

1891 – Sioux Indian War, Ghost Dance War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1892 – Johnson County War, U.S. forces invade Mexico

1893 – U.S. forces invade Mexico and Hawaii

1894 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1895 – U.S. forces invade Mexico, Bannock Indian Disturbances

1896 – U.S. forces invade Mexico

1897 – No major war

1898 – Spanish-American War, Battle of Leech Lake, Chippewa Indian Disturbances

1899 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1900 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1901 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1902 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1903 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1904 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1905 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1906 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1907 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1908 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1909 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1910 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1911 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1912 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars

1913 – Philippine-American War, Banana Wars, New Mexico Navajo War

1914 – Banana Wars, U.S. invades Mexico

1915 – Banana Wars, U.S. invades Mexico, Colorado Paiute War

1916 – Banana Wars, U.S. invades Mexico

1917 – Banana Wars, World War I, U.S. invades Mexico

1918 – Banana Wars, World War I, U.S invades Mexico

1919 – Banana Wars, U.S. invades Mexico

1920 – Banana Wars

1921 – Banana Wars

1922 – Banana Wars

1923 – Banana Wars, Posey War

1924 – Banana Wars

1925 – Banana Wars

1926 – Banana Wars

1927 – Banana Wars

1928 – Banana Wars

1930 – Banana Wars

1931 – Banana Wars

1932 – Banana Wars

1933 – Banana Wars

1934 – Banana Wars

1935 – No major war

1936 – No major war

1937 – No major war

1938 – No major war

1939 – No major war

1940 – No major war

1941 – World War II

1942 – World War II

1943 – Wold War II

1944 – World War II

1945 – World War II

1946 – Cold War (U.S. occupies the Philippines and South Korea)

1947 – Cold War (U.S. occupies South Korea, U.S. forces land in Greece to fight Communists)

1948 – Cold War (U.S. forces aid Chinese Nationalist Party against Communists)

1949 – Cold War (U.S. forces aid Chinese Nationalist Party against Communists)

1950 – Korean War, Jayuga Uprising

1951 – Korean War

1952 – Korean War

1953 – Korean War

1954 – Covert War in Guatemala

1955 – Vietnam War

1956 – Vietnam War

1957 – Vietnam War

1958 – Vietnam War

1959 – Vietnam War, Conflict in Haiti

1960 – Vietam War

1961 – Vietnam War

1962 – Vietnam War, Cold War (Cuban Missile Crisis; U.S. marines fight Communists in Thailand)

1963 – Vietnam War

1964 – Vietnam War

1965 – Vietnam War, U.S. occupation of Dominican Republic

1966 – Vietnam War, U.S. occupation of Dominican Republic

1967 – Vietnam War

1968 – Vietnam War

1969 – Vietnam War

1970 – Vietnam War

1971 – Vietnam War

1972 – Vietnam War

1973 – Vietnam War, U.S. aids Israel in Yom Kippur War

1974 – Vietnam War

1975 – Vietnam War

1976 – No major war

1977 – No major war

1978 – No major war

1979 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan)

1980 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan)

1981 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan and Nicaragua), First Gulf of Sidra Incident

1982 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan and Nicaragua), Conflict in Lebanon

1983 – Cold War (Invasion of Grenada, CIA proxy war in Afghanistan and Nicaragua), Conflict in Lebanon

1984 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan and Nicaragua), Conflict in Persian Gulf

1985 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan and Nicaragua)

1986 – Cold War (CIA proxy war in Afghanistan and Nicaragua)

1987 – Conflict in Persian Gulf

1988 – Conflict in Persian Gulf, U.S. occupation of Panama

1989 – Second Gulf of Sidra Incident, U.S. occupation of Panama, Conflict in Philippines

1990 – First Gulf War, U.S. occupation of Panama

1991 – First Gulf War

1992 – Conflict in Iraq

1993 – Conflict in Iraq

1994 – Conflict in Iraq, U.S. invades Haiti

1995 – Conflict in Iraq, U.S. invades Haiti, NATO bombing of Bosnia and Herzegovina

1996 – Conflict in Iraq

1997 – No major war

1998 – Bombing of Iraq, Missile strikes against Afghanistan and Sudan

1999 – Kosovo War

2000 – No major war

2001 – War on Terror in Afghanistan

2002 – War on Terror in Afghanistan and Yemen

2003 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, and Iraq

2004 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen

2005 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen

2006 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen

2007 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen

2008 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen

2009 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen

2010 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen

2011 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen; Conflict in Libya (Libyan Civil War)

In most of these wars, the U.S. was on the offense. Danios admits that some of the wars were defensive. However, Danios also leaves out covert CIA operations and other acts which could be considered war.

Let’s update what’s happened since 2011:

2012 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen

2013 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen

2014 – War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen; Civil War in Ukraine

2015 – War on Terror in Somalia, Somalia, Syria and Yemen; Civil War in Ukraine

So we can add 4 more years of war. That means that for 222 out of 239 years – or 93% of the time – America has been at war. (We can quibble with the exact numbers, but the high percentage of time that America has been at war is clear and unmistakable.)

Indeed, most of the military operations launched since World War II have been launched by the U.S.
And American military spending dwarfs the rest of the world put together.

No wonder polls show that the world believes America is the number 1 threat to peace.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41086.htm

[Plane And Simple]

This will turn into more of a debate, and it's not fully official "news", so:

VTDC :arrow2: ROTW

[dirtyboxer55]

that will teach those commies who's boss

[Serzh98]

I'm just glad that at least in Ukraine someone stopped amercias agression and fucked up their plans.
But again, amercians don't give a damn, Ukrainians are in the worst situation.
Debalcevo fell, soon will Mariupol. And in next 6/7 months I expect black-blue-red flag with name ''Kharkovskay Narodnay Respublika'' hanging in downtown Kharkovs.

[Exocet]

that will teach those commies who's boss

It seems that it doesn't work,you think that the Russian bear will be scared of the US ?
For exemple,the US and its puppets wanted to attack Syria and Bashar Al Assad... guess what.... they didn't.
Putin showed who's the boss.

[StoppingTime]

What exactly are you trying to prove with a buzzfeed-esque list from a source that tells me things I "wont find on CNN or Fox News?"

[Vlerchan]

It seems that it doesn't work,you think that the Russian bear will be scared of the US ?
For exemple,the US and its puppets wanted to attack Syria and Bashar Al Assad... guess what.... they didn't.
Putin showed who's the boss.
Please do feel free to explain how Putin stopped the US from invading Syria.

[amgb]

This is horrific. 93% of the time? I'm questioning the authenticity of that. But seriously isn't spending time, money and effort on civilian lives more important than spending it on shipping soldiers off to war basically on their road to death where nothing will be gained or achieved?

[Serzh98]

Please do feel free to explain how Putin stopped the US from invading Syria.

s-300 missiles...

[Exocet]

Please do feel free to explain how Putin stopped the US from invading Syria.


Didn't you remember when the US and its "allies" wanted to launch airstrikes against Bashar Al Assad and its army ? To punish him because "he "used" chimical weapons against his people ? (Near August-September 2013 if i'm not wrong),Putin warned that Russia will help Syria if it comes under attack and would deploythe components of a missile shield if the US attacks.Then he ordered to the Russian navy to increase its presence in the Medditeranea and near Syria,then followed Russian decision to talk with Syria to disarm Syria of its chimical weapons. (I can't explicate very well with my poor english :lol:)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2cWkT1vdKI/Unf0GFsn-8I/AAAAAAAAAhA/yOWIASyRLVE/s1600/p7ah08j.jpg

[dirtyboxer55]

It seems that it doesn't work,you think that the Russian bear will be scared of the US ?
For exemple,the US and its puppets wanted to attack Syria and Bashar Al Assad... guess what.... they didn't.
Putin showed who's the boss.

putin will get his freedom soon. in fact i heard just the other day obama was planning to nuke everything east of germany.

[Exocet]

putin will get his freedom soon. in fact i heard just the other day obama was planning to nuke everything east of germany.

Do you know what is the country you are talking about ?
Russia. This country isn't Libya or Iraq.
And ? Germany isn't a Russian territory,Putin doesn't give a sh*t if you nuke east germany Lol!
Its like if Putin says to Obama "I'll nuke Mongolia".

[Living For Love]

The title of this thread should have been "Things America had to accomplish cause no one else had the balls to do it".

[dirtyboxer55]

Do you know what is the country you are talking about ?
Russia. This country isn't Libya or Iraq.
And ? Germany isn't a Russian territory,Putin doesn't give a sh*t if you nuke east germany Lol!
Its like if Putin says to Obama "I'll nuke Mongolia".

nothing of value would be lost, since mongolia is a barren desolate wasteland.

also i said east of germany not east germany.

[Exocet]

nothing of value would be lost, since mongolia is a barren desolate wasteland.

also i said east of germany not east germany.


What's the interest of Nuking East Germany? i want some explanations.

[dirtyboxer55]

What's the interest of Nuking East Germany? i want some explanations.

east of germany means countries on the eastern side of germany, not east germany lmao

[Cpt_Cutter]

Then he ordered to the Russian navy to increase its presence in the Medditeranea

If you think Russia would last 30 seconds in an open shooting war in the Mediterranean you're insane. It wasn't the Russians that turned Obama away, it was the fact that almost no one internationally or internally supported his bid for war. Russia capitalized on this, taking a predestined result as a sign of superior Russian might. The Russian navy is terribly outdated and couldn't hold a torch to even the British or french.

[Vlerchan]

Didn't you remember when the US and its "allies" wanted to launch airstrikes against Bashar Al Assad and its army ? To punish him because "he "used" chimical weapons against his people ? (Near August-September 2013 if i'm not wrong),Putin warned that Russia will help Syria if it comes under attack and would deploythe components of a missile shield if the US attacks.Then he ordered to the Russian navy to increase its presence in the Medditeranea and near Syria,then followed Russian decision to talk with Syria to disarm Syria of its chimical weapons. (I can't explicate very well with my poor english.
He deployed one cruiser in the Mediterranean if I remember correctly.

I can't remember him mentioning missile shields.

The US still continued to fund anti-Assad forces regardless. It withheld airstrikes because it didn't have the popular support at home and there was an excuse in the form of the deal where the UN collected up Asaad's weapons.

---

The US cooled down pressure on Assad in general after because he isn't an Islamist.

The title of this thread should have been "Things America had to accomplish cause no one else had the balls to do it".
Large parts of earlier in that list referred to:

Genociding native Americans.
Engaging in imperialist conquests against Latin Americans.

Why you in your opinion did these things need to be done?

[Serzh98]

The title of this thread should have been "Things America had to accomplish cause no one else had the balls to do it".

wow, yea, isil and mujaheedins in avghanistan really needed to be created.

[Living For Love]

Large parts of earlier in that list referred to:

Genociding native Americans.
Engaging in imperialist conquests against Latin Americans.

Why you in your opinion did these things need to be done?
I was obviously referring to more recent conflicts, especially those which compromise global safety in a broader sense.

wow, yea, isil and mujaheedins in avghanistan really needed to be created.
They weren't created by the USA.

[Vlerchan]

I was obviously referring to more recent conflicts, especially those which compromise global safety in a broader sense.
OK. As long as we agree the US don't have a particularly noble foreign policy history.

They weren't created by the USA.
How did ISIL and the Mujahedeen becomes as powerful as they did in your opinion?

[Living For Love]

How did ISIL and the Mujahedeen becomes as powerful as they did in your opinion?
They became powerful after the Syrian civil war, which wasn't caused by the USA. And the Mujahideen were formed during the Afghanistan invasion by the Soviet forces, the USA only supplied them with weapons.

[JamesSuperBoy]

Protecting "freedom" FTW!!

Indeed, most of the military operations launched since World War II have been launched by the U.S.
And American military spending dwarfs the rest of the world put together.

No wonder polls show that the world believes America is the number 1 threat to peace.
[/url]

I think in the main that the USA has reacted to situations that is very different from saying the US is a threat to peace.

[Vlerchan]

They became powerful after the Syrian civil war, which wasn't caused by the USA.
But it is Iraq that ISIL hold their largest presence in?

And the Mujahideen were formed during the Afghanistan invasion by the Soviet forces, the USA only supplied them with weapons.
The US funnelled 3 billion of tax payers cash (1980s) to them:

Such a significant amount of funds developed Mujahedeen from a rag-tag group of fighters to a serious fighting force. The fact that the group existed before US intervention is quite irrelevant I think.

[Atom]

since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 214 out of her 235 calendar years of existence. In other words, there were only 21 calendar years in which the U.S. did not wage any wars.
And this is bad why?
America is just protecting their interests and is not afraid to play it risky sometimes and use the resources it has in its possession. Why do you think it's a bad trait for a country/nation? The only thing that I find a bit discouraging is that they sometimes go overboard and may kill a lot of civilians on the way... But I think every nation/country in America's position of power would do the same.

[Serzh98]

I was obviously referring to more recent conflicts, especially those which compromise global safety in a broader sense.


They weren't created by the USA.

Oh, yes they were sir. Mujaheedins were created by america to fight Russians and ISIL to fight Bashar.

They became powerful after the Syrian civil war, which wasn't caused by the USA. And the Mujahideen were formed during the Afghanistan invasion by the Soviet forces, the USA only supplied them with weapons.

Lol. Syrian war wasn't cause by the america? Are you joking??

Double posts merged, Please hit Edit next time
~Plane And Simple

[Plane And Simple]

Oh, yes they were sir. Mujaheedins were created by america to fight Russians and ISIL to fight Bashar.



Lol. Syrian war wasn't cause by the america? Are you joking??

Double posts merged, Please hit Edit next time
~Plane And Simple

Just a quick reminder for all to keep it peaceful around here. It's a hard topic to speak about, so let's treat everyone how we'd like to be treated

[Living For Love]

But it is Iraq that ISIL hold their largest presence in?
Yes, but they used the Syrian conflict to create an offshoot to expand into Syrian territory, they control a large part of Syria right now, which made them pretty powerful.

The US funnelled 3 billion of tax payers cash (1980s) to them
[-]Evidence please.[/-]
Forget it, I've found a reliable source.

Those funds, however, were only given to them during and in the aftermath of the Soviet invasion to help them fight the Russians and to help recover Afghanistan that had been ravaged by the war.

Oh, yes they were sir. Mujaheedins were created by america to fight Russians and ISIL to fight Bashar.
The Mujahideen weren't created, they were an insurgent group that received funds and weapons from the USA under the legal right they aid to battle against the Soviets who were invading their country.
ISIL wasn't created by the USA either, I have no idea where you got that idea from.

Lol. Syrian war wasn't cause by the america? Are you joking??
Feel free to explain how.

[Vlerchan]

Yes, but they used the Syrian conflict to create an offshoot to expand into Syrian territory, they control a large part of Syria right now, which made them pretty powerful.
You're going to need to source all this because I'm aware of the exact opposite occurring. ISIL existed in Iraq years before it existed in Syria and that's why it was at first just called the Islamic State of Iraq [and not Levant]. In Syria it holds one major population centre (Raqqa) and is getting beat-back at another (Kobane) whilst in Iraq it holds several (Mosul and Tikirit and Ramadi) and was until not so long ago pressing on Baghdad. It's also worth noting it's much greater grasp over Iraqi infrastructure (http://energypolicyinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/iraq-map-23.jpg) which is arguably more important than its urban holdings.

It's capital also happens to be in Iraq (Mosul) where it has its most stable presence.

This was it on June 10th of last year when it first begun to hit headlines. Does this seem like the map of an insurgent group that started in Syria and spread to Iraq?:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/images/map-isil-2014-06-10-4.jpg

It doesn't to me.

Evidence please.

Operation Cyclone was the code name for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) program to arm and finance the Afghan mujahideen prior to and during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, from 1979 to 1989.

[...] Operation Cyclone was one of the longest and most expensive covert CIA operations ever undertaken; funding began with $20–$30 million per year in 1980 and rose to $630 million per year in 1987. Funding continued after 1989 as the mujahideen battled the forces of Mohammad Najibullah's PDPA during the civil war in Afghanistan (1989–1992).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone

25 million * 6 = 150 million
630 million * 4 = 2520 million

2520 million + 150 million = 2670 million ~ 3000 million.

---

It was also the indirect case that:

More than $20 billion in U.S. funds were funnelled into the country to train and arm the Afghan resistance groups.

Ibid.

But that wasn't a direct US action - but I do imagine the US realised what was happening.

---

Edit:

Those funds, however, were only given to them during and in the aftermath of the Soviet invasion to help them fight the Russians and to help recover Afghanistan that had been ravaged by the war.
As long as we can agree that in this instance the US created its own Frankenstein.

I also realise why the US did it - Afghanistan was a cold war proxy-state - though that doesn't make up for it.

... legal right they aid to battle against the Soviets who were invading their country.
The Soviets invaded after a civil war broke out between the Marxist government of Afghanistan and the mujahideen.

[Miserabilia]

It doesn't really say that much.

This counts for most countries, as most countries are usualy sending atleast some troops to fight for some conflicts, whether a direct threat or to assist other countries.

However the US does spend a ridicuolus amount of money on military forces and has been fighting in a LOT of wars for political beleifs and money rather than protecting from a threat, ever since WW2.

[Living For Love]

You're going to need to source all this because I'm aware of the exact opposite occurring. ISIL existed in Iraq years before it existed in Syria and that's why it was at first just called the Islamic State of Iraq [and not Levant]. In Syria it holds one major population centre (Raqqa) and is getting beat-back at another (Kobane) whilst in Iraq it holds several (Mosul and Tikirit and Ramadi) and was until not so long ago pressing on Baghdad. It's also worth noting it's much greater grasp over Iraqi infrastructure (http://energypolicyinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/iraq-map-23.jpg) which is arguably more important than its urban holdings.

It's capital also happens to be in Iraq (Mosul) where it has its most stable presence.

This was it on June 10th of last year when it first begun to hit headlines. Does this seem like the map of an insurgent group that started in Syria and spread to Iraq?
I never said ISIL started in Syria and spread to Iraq, I only said they started in Iraq and then spread to Syria because of the Civil War, which made them more powerful.

As long as we can agree that in this instance the US created its own Frankenstein.
America's initial intention wasn't to create terrorist organisations that would in the future battle against the USA.

The Soviets invaded after a civil war broke out between the Marxist government of Afghanistan and the mujahideen.
Does that imply they have the right to invade it?

[Vlerchan]

I never said ISIL started in Syria and spread to Iraq?, I only said they started in Iraq and then spread to Syria because of the Civil War, which made them more powerful.
Ok. Sorry. I didn't refer back to the earlier quotation when I wrote the new response.

You also claimed that the Syrian civil war made them powerful and not 'more powerful'.

But as long as we can agree though that the situation in Iraq facilitated a large - and the most important - portion of the growth.

America's initial intention wasn't to create terrorist organisations that would in the future battle against the USA.
I never said it was. But that's what happened.

For reference my point relates to the US making things worse for themselves and not intending to make things worse for themselves.

Does that implies they have the right to invade it?
The Marxist government invited them in if I remember correctly.

[Thunderstorm]

This makes no sense. Some years have "no major war". Yet half of these wars are not major and are not taught in most American History classes, even AP which I take.

America is fairly new. I think people would agree when I say that we defend capitalism and economic interests more than freedom. The "freedom" stands for monetary interests. Spanish-American War, Vietnam War, "Cold War", etc. All in the name of money.

[tovaris]

They became powerful after the Syrian civil war, which wasn't caused by the USA. And the Mujahideen were formed during the Afghanistan invasion by the Soviet forces, the USA only supplied them with weapons.

You do realized that ISI is fighting with NATO standard arms, dropped to them ba the US...