A classic oversimplification. Only a fool or the most naive could fail to admit that US (and most countries) militaries are often deployed on missions with a primary or secondary goal of securing what ultimately amounts to economic interests. It is undeniable that our involvement in most conflicts in the “Middle East” trace back to oil, oil prices, and our bargaining position with oil producers, and that position relative to other countries we are competing with for advantage in economics.
The over simplification comes in 3 main places.
1. A military is deployed on the interests and whims of the state. What any one person fights for, that is personal as their reason for joining the service. If you joined for pay and training and “free school,” then there shouldn’t be a problem- you agreed to join the military to get paid, you’re fighting to make sure people get paid. You’re basically a mercenary. If you joined to protect your country, to make a difference, etc etc- then that is probably what you are personally fighting for.
2. It is seldom the case that a militaries only goal is economic, or so simple as “get the oil.” If that were the case, why wouldn’t we occupy these places and administer government- we already have Puerto Rico, the “state” that isn’t given the rights or attention of a state, but is subject to our rule, and benefits our economy. Global politics is 3D chess- when done well. You are also trying to block opponents move or position them into making the moves that you want them to make. You won’t win many complex games by only focusing on what you get, you have to also strategically deny your opponents potential advantages.
3. Most people in the developed world are very sheltered. You drive around in cars and rode trains and planes and busses, enjoy lap tops and toys and gadgets, goods trucked and shipped thousands upon thousands of miles to reach your door and all the other luxuries provided to you by petroleum and by a prosperous economy and a relatively stable geo political landscape- which in turn allows for economic stability.
What do you think freedom is? How do you think one achieves freedom, and then prevents someone else from just taking it away? Unless everyone won the world agrees to play nice and follows that agreement, you are only free as long as you can keep your freedom. There is a cost, and actual dollars cost, to your ability to do all the silly things you take for granted. To eat too much, to waste so much. To have so much and be so fickle and have new cars and new clothes and new phones and not have to take care of the same things long term like they had to once upon a time.
Oil is a big part of your freedom. Natural gas. Iron, uranium, platinum, etc etc. it’s what provides you the conveniences and frivolities of your life. It’s what allows Americans to own more cars per household, get more cars more often, to throw away or give away perfectly good things because we are lazy or vain or wasteful. Your relatively easy living comes from an economic and military advantage.
So even IF we distilled it all down and said: “we are over there for the oil...” that isn’t so much different than saying we are over there so a bunch of spoiled ponces can run around being dolts and wasting things and being grubby l, self centered, materialists. Or in a nicer way to say it- these wars are to maintain the quality of life that you probably take for granted and believe you are entitled to. A material quality of life that isn’t common to 90%+ of humans on earth, and that isn’t rivaled by almost any country that possesses similar population and territory.
These sentiments like to shame the troops- “you’re fighting for rich men’s money!” They like to shame politicians: “you sent people to kill and die for your money!” Well.... Becky, Clearance, John and Jane.... shame yourself. Our military is off killing and dying because you want more. You want to see the world and have the nice house with the trendy decor and the newest phones and the VR surround sound and the all organic resource hogging food, the 2+ cars per family and the 2500+ sq foot home with central air and heat and heated floors and a robot butler. You want to eat delicious and healthy and have all the nice things and accumulate and waste tons and tons of crap that no human in history has ever needed.
And here is the price- men and women fighting and dying over all that crap. In some sand castle somewhere is a guy with a 90’s flip phone who drives a 30 year old car that he shares with 8 people. He wants his kids to have futures, he wants them to have food and medicine. And he’s fighting for that, while what are you doing? Are you starving, are you POOR or “poor”? What are your odds of dying today for lack of simple basic needs? But you don’t have a lot do you? It compared to Suburban Joe or High rise Jane? So you can’t possibly afford to give anything up. Why- there are some days you don’t even eat! Not weeks. Single days.
You have so much, and you want more. The billionaires club isn’t stopping either. They have so much compared to YOU, but it isn’t enough. 20 million dollars, if you don’t invest a single dime or use it to make money, and you never work again- $20 million dollars at 20 years old- you could spend $500,000 a year until 60 and never run out. $250k a year until you’re... past dead. Never run out. Most people don’t make $250k a year on America. $3 million dollars would allow you 40 years if you DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but wrong money- and you’d be able to spend more than the average middle class American makes each year.
A LOT of people are millionaires. ALOT of people have $3 million dollars. It’s not enough. They want more. They need more. People with less will catch up, people with more will make more and leave them behind. $3 million dollars isn’t a lot when everyone has it. Things are only really valuable when we have more of them than someone else, or there is more demand than the amount to cover it. So more, more, more, more. Then let’s shame the troops and shame the politicians. Fools, greedy bastards, monsters rolling in blood money. What are you? You’re either a fool who doesn’t know your money is covered in blood, or you know and you’ve somehow convinced yourself to be OK with that. So maybe...
When you see wrong in the world, look in the mirror. See that Dave looking a back? Is it part of the solution? It is more common, that face will be the cause of the problem. That face, is the face of the first person you’ll have to confront and successfully convince to make changes to see a solution. If you haven’t yet convinced that person in the mirror to do the right thing, so that first and then start trying to convince other people.
1. A military is deployed on the interests and whims of the state. What any one person fights for, that is personal as their reason for joining the service. If you joined for pay and training and “free school,” then there shouldn’t be a problem- you agreed to join the military to get paid, you’re fighting to make sure people get paid. You’re basically a mercenary. If you joined to protect your country, to make a difference, etc etc- then that is probably what you are personally fighting for.