Are We Building up to War?

Photo Creative Commons License by dunechaser

We all know the economy is in deep trouble, and most of us remember from our history lessons that wars make money. Not everybody makes money, of course... and not everybody wins. But the folks who have the deep pockets and hidden control of the public decision-makers always increase their fortunes, regardless of which side they back.

Historically not everybody dies, either. If there is another global war, that may no longer hold true, given the technology available today. You no longer have to even 'see' your target, just the button to push.

There are several underlying currents hinted about in the news media over the last few weeks, mostly since the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh. None are overt enough to conclusively point to groundwork for a global war, but just enough to warrant closer observation.

Wars are always fought for a "Cause" believed by the populace to be just, whether the cause is religious, or political in nature. The underlying force is always to gain (or keep) power and control, whether it's control of the people, or the oil.

In the heyday of the British Empire it was control of Trade, which translated into money. The US War for Independence happened basically because England controlled our imports. They refused to let us purchase goods from any other country (which they could not tax), and they essentially blockaded our ports. That of course begat Privateers who sailed to the Islands for trade goods, or to New Orleans, where French and Spanish goods could be bought and smuggled in back at home. Ultimately, we gained the wherewithall to make our own goods and trade them globally.

The United States has nothing to trade anymore; we don't make anything. We are now truly a service country, having outsourced almost all manufacturing of goods, and in the last several years we have even outsourced service in the IT sector. What we have left to protect is the image of global power we have had based on the USD as the premier world currency.