Almost every US ally claims to be a friend because of America’s military. It’s really not shared values or even interests. Other nations like being defended by a superpower, so they need not spend much on their militaries.
The result is that America has a couple score spoiled, entitled, and obnoxious "allies" who under-invest in their militaries, whine if the US looks anywhere else, demand constant "reassurance" that Washington will forever protect them even if they do nothing for themselves, and insist that it is in America’s interest to create a permanent defense dole for the indolent, disinterested, irresponsible, and greedy among them – which of course is most of them.
The Europeans tend to be the worst. Which ensures endless scheming to retain Uncle Sam as their consigliere, responsible for their defense. Such has been the approach of the United Kingdom, which is determine to drag Washington into defending Ukraine even though London made clear that it would not put its own troops at risk.
Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defense appears to be most enthused with the US as global policeman, but Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is the more accomplished schemer. Reported The Times of London: "The Foreign Office hired a tribute act to the Fab Four called the Cheatles in an effort to woo Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, and stiffen the resolve of Britain’s partners against aggression from Moscow at the G7 summit of foreign ministers in Liverpool this weekend. Truss and Blinken discovered a shared love of Lennon and McCartney when they dined together at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow last month. Truss would like America to take as tough a line as possible to deter Putin from ordering more than 90,000 troops into Ukraine."
At least Truss didn’t try to use the Beatles’ music to sell war with Russia. The Fab Four never went over the top with politics. However, the song Imagine did have the lines: "Imagine there’s no countries; It isn’t hard to do; Nothing to kill or die for; and no religion, too; Imagine all the people: Living life in peace." Sounds essentially anti-war, though it remains pretty ethereal.
Another major hit was American Woman by the Guess Who. Group members disagreed over its political nature, with Randy Bachman claiming that it targeted the draft and Vietnam war. Only one line explicitly mentions the military ("I don’t need your war machines"), but many people perceived it to be critical of the US, with "American woman" representing the country.
Much more direct was Edwin Starr’s intense, punchy, energetic War. It was a number one hit and left no one doubting its meaning:
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, uhh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y’all
War, huh (good God)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me, oh
War, I despise
‘Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mother’s eyes
When their sons go off to fight
And lose their lives
I said, war, huh (good God, y’all)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, just say it again
War (whoa), huh (oh Lord)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
It ain’t nothing but a heart-breaker
(War) Friend only to The Undertaker
Oh, war it’s an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die? Oh
War, huh (good God y’all)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it, say it, say it
War (uh-huh), huh (yeah, huh)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
It ain’t nothing but a heartbreaker
(War) It’s got one friend that’s The Undertaker
Oh, war, has shattered many a young man’s dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious
To spend fighting wars each day
War can’t give life
It can only take it away, oh
War, huh (good God y’all)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again
War (whoa), huh (oh Lord)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
It ain’t nothing but a heart breaker
(War) Friend only to The Undertaker, woo
Peace, love and understanding, tell me
Is there no place for them today?
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there’s got to be a better way, oh
War, huh (God y’all)
What is it good for? You tell me (nothing)
Say it, say it, say it, say it
War (good God), huh (now, huh)
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it (nothing)
The following year Starr released Stop the War Now. It lacked War’s musical power, but also was clear in its meaning.
Alright, yeah
Make the sound of peace sing out
(Stop the war, now)
Everybody, don’t put if off another day
Make your voices roar
(Stop the war, now)
Just like thunder y’all
(Don’t put it off) another day
Sing a song now
(Stop the war, now)
Listen to me, y’all
(Don’t put it off) another day
Listen to me
A knock on the door, there’s a letter from the war
Saying, “Greetings, we want you”
If I refuse to fight they say that that ain’t right
And time you’ll have to do
Somebody please tell me what is war all about?
And why must I kill against my will?
I just can’t figure it out
Ow
Good God, hear me say
(Don’t put it off) another day
Everybody sing
(Stop the war, now) now, now, now
(Don’t put it off) another day
All we got to do is, listen
(Give peace a chance)
Aww, don’t throw another life away
Listen to me now
Think about all the soldiers
That are dead and gone today
If you’d ask them to fight again
What do you think they’d say?
I’m not trying to be funny
Just trying to get my point across
War is world’s enemy number one
It’s that time that we called it off
Good god, hear me say
(Don’t put it off) another day
Everybody’s singing
(Stop the war, now) now, now, now
(Don’t put it off) another day
All we got to do is, Lord
Give peace a chance
Don’t, don’t throw another life away
Casualties pile up each day
Cemeteries are overflowing
Leaders of the world (?)
But the death list keeps right on growin’
And what does a mother get in return
For the life of the son she’s lost?
A few measly pennies a month
A medal, a babe, and a doggone cost
Good God, hear me say
(Don’t put it off) another day
Everybody sing
(Stop the war, now) now, now, now
(Don’t put it off) another day
Why can’t we just
(Give peace a chance)
Please
Don’t throw another life away
Can’t you see?
Enough blood has been shed by the wounded and the dead
Enough blood has been shed by the wounded and the dead
Ow
Enough blood has been shed by the wounded and the dead
Ow
Listen
(Stop the war, now)
Good God, everybody
(Don’t put it off) another day
(Stop the war, now) now, now, now
(Don’t put it off) another day
This is a message to the leaders of the world
(Give peace a chance)
Aww
There have been numerous other antiwar songs over the years. One of the most modern and appropriate yet obscure came from the Rolling Stones in 2005. Although not one of the singles released from its album, Sweet Neo Con was a brutal take down of the George W. Bush administration. Mick Jagger said the song was not limited to Bush, but more broadly applied to America’s war-happy Neoconservatives who had caused such materiel destruction and human suffering. No surprise, members of Washington’s right-wing War Party were less than pleased at the criticism.
It might not be the most inspiring music, but the lyrics’ meaning are unambiguous:
You call yourself a Christian
I think that you’re a hypocrite
You say you are a patriot
I think that you’re a crock of shit
And listen now, the gasoline
I drink it every day
But it’s getting very pricey
And who is going to pay
How come you’re so wrong
My sweet neo con…. Yeah
It’s liberty for all
‘Cause democracy’s our style
Unless you are against us
Then it’s prison without trial
But one thing that is certain
Life is good at Haliburton
If you’re really so astute
You should invest at Brown & Root…. Yeah
How come you’re so wrong
My sweet neo con
If you turn out right
I’ll eat my hat tonight
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah….
It’s getting very scary
Yes, I’m frightened out of my wits
There’s bombers in my bedroom
Yeah and it’s giving me the shits
We must have lots more bases
To protect us from our foes
Who needs these foolish friendships
We’re going it alone
How come you’re so wrong
My sweet neo con
Where’s the money gone
In the Pentagon
Yeah ha ha ha
Yeah, well, well
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…
Neo con
Perhaps antiwar activists need an album. Include some classics. Add some covers of strong, but more obscure songs. Conclude with some new works, targeting the latest atrocities – aiding Saudi Arabia in Yemen, contemplating war with nuclear powers China and Russia, issuing new threats atop past threats to bomb Iran, starving Afghans after two decades of war, and more. That album could be handed out at the next NATO meeting, G-7 summit, European Union conclave, and any other gathering at which use of the American military might be discussed.
Every Christmas public officials ritualistically intone "peace on earth and goodwill to all men," but do nothing to achieve that state. Peace activists should do a better job of putting music to work against the perpetual war lobby.
If there is any question where to start, try War. It’s opening lines capture the issue perfectly:
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing.
Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Foreign Follies: America’s New Global Empire.
