The Myth
Wars are for peace & democracy
Debunk
- Wars for democracy are unsuccessful.
- The US has a long history or invading and occupying others.
- War is more likely to happen when there is oil.
- Forcing democracies does not work.
- Wars brew hatred and violence in the aftermath.
- Wars are fought for money.
The evidence
- Foreign governments are 100 times more likely to intervene in civil wars when the country at war has large oil reserves.
- Oil dependent economies have favored stability and support dictators rather than emphasizing democracy.
- The war in Iraq led to deep resentment of the US and helped grow violent extremism.
- Afghanistan is categorized as an authoritarian regime, ranking at 152 of 167 countries on the Democracy Index (2012).
- In 2013 Iraq ranked among the eight most corrupt nations in the world.
Further Reading
Bacevich, Andrew J. 2011. Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War. Reprint edition. New York: Metropolitan Books.
Hastings, Tom H. 2014. A New Era of Nonviolence: The Power of Civil Society Over War. McFarland.
Nordstrom, Carolyn. 2004. Shadows of War : Violence, Power, and International Profiteering in the Twenty-First Century. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Pilisuk, Marc, and Jennifer Achord Rountree. 2008. Who Benefits from Global Violence and War : Uncovering a Destructive System. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International.
Solomon, Norman. 2010. War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death. John Wiley & Sons.
The Flashcard
