Alternative Radio
In 1970, at the height of the U.S. wars in Indochina Edwin Starr came out with his classic song: “War.” In it he asks, “War, what is good for?” And he answers: “Absolutely nothing.” Well, for the giant weapons manufacturing corporations, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics and all the rest, war pays off big time. They make money hand over fist especially with their cost-plus contracts. And then there are the delays in delivery and technical problems. Whether they are F-35 fighter jets, stealth destroyers, Trident submarines or aircraft carriers, the Pentagon gets what it wants. And taxpayers foot the bill. Policy makers in Washington always come up with rationales to engage in war. Since 2001 the U.S. has been continually at war and it has greatly expanded the number of countries it is attacking. Is war ever justifiable?
This program features a debate between David Swanson and Pete Kilner. Swanson answers no to the question, is war ever justifiable. Kilner argues yes.
David Swanson is an activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director WorldBeyondWar.org and author of War Is Never Justand Curing Exceptionalism. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pete Kilner served more than 28 years in the Army as an infantryman and professor. A graduate of West Point, he deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a graduate of West Point.
- KBOO