Episode 26: Reckoning with The Destruction of Forever War with David Vine

In the Context of Empire

Jon and Matt were joined by Dr. David Vine to discuss the perpetual warfare state that the U.S has been since even before its independence. For its 244 years history, there have only been 11 years for which the United States was not engaged in military combat. These wars have almost all been offensive in nature, have killed tens of millions of people, and destroyed the lives of exponentially more. The history of the United States is a history of aggressive war. We need to have a reckoning with this blood soaked past. Dr. Vine is a professor of political anthropology at American University, a board member on the Costs of War Project, a co founder of the Overseas Base Realignment and Closure Coalition, and the author of Base Nation, The United States of War, Island of Shame: The Secret History of the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia.

Specifically Discussed:

- David's background and his development of an interest in exposing the imperial history of the United States

- The ways in which the US is an empire and the various phases of that imperialism

- The aggressive nature of nearly all US wars

- Debunking the myth that the massive size of the Department of War and its 800 foreign bases does anything in terms of defense of the United States

- The inseparable nature of racism and war

- The need for truth and reconciliation and accountability for the mass death and destruction caused the our imperial wars of aggression

David's Work: Please Support Him!

David's Website

David's books: Island of Shame: The Secret History of the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia., Base Nation, and The United States of War,

Our Work

Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content!

Social Media: Twitter- @Mattylongruns.