“Domestic Causes of American Wars: Economic & Political Triggers” with Ivan Eland

In this episode of "Coming from Left Field," we discuss the book, "Domestic Causes of American War: Economic and Political Triggers," with author and former National Security Analyst for Congress, Dr. Ivan Eland.  This is a provocative reassessment of American military history. Dr. Eland systematically argues that the standard narrative of the United States going to war for national security and democratic ideals is largely a myth. Instead, he contends that the true drivers behind most major US conflicts, from the early Barbary Wars and the War of 1812 through the World Wars and up to the invasion of Iraq, have been domestic economic interests and political calculations. This revisionist history challenges us to see past patriotic rhetoric and recognize a persistent pattern where commerce, territorial expansion, and the political benefits of war have consistently outweighed genuine defensive needs.

 

Dr. Eland's analysis extends to re-evaluating America's most "righteous" wars, suggesting that even the Civil War and World War II were more complex and less morally clear-cut than traditional histories claim. A central theme of his work is the powerful role of the "military-industrial-congressional complex," an iron triangle of defense bureaucracy, weapons manufacturers, and Congress that perpetuate interventionist policies for economic gain. The book ultimately serves as a cautionary tale, urging greater public skepticism toward the justifications for war and highlighting the recurring and often ill-effects that these conflicts have had on American society and civil liberties.

 

Dr. Eland has worked for more than four decades in the foreign policy, national security, energy, and presidential studies fields, including 16 years working for the U.S. Congress. He currently is the Director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at the Independent Institute. Dr. Eland has written and published eight other books, written many pieces in prominent newspapers and journals, appeared on hundreds of major TV and radio interviews, and has testified before congressional committees. He has a PhD in defense policy, an MBA in business economics, and a BA in Poli Sci/International Relations. Dr. Eland is the author of many books, including the forthcoming US Role in a New Multipolar World: Less Military Intervention Brings More Security with Fewer Costs. Some of his eight previously published books have won publishing awards. He is a contributor to numerous other books and the author of forty-five in-depth studies on national security issues.

 

Get the Book: https://www.claritypress.com/product/domestic-causes-of-american-wars-economic-political-triggers/

 

Greg’s Blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com/

 

Pat’s Substack: https://patcummings.substack.com/about

 

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