During her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Kamala Harris promised, “I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world.” She shamelessly gloated about the massive U.S. military force, the same force that has and continues to wreak havoc on millions around the world, from Haiti to Libya to Gaza to Iraq to Vietnam. For most of its history, the U.S. has been involved in military conflicts. U.S. troops and weapons have been used almost constantly against civilians and have murdered hundreds of thousands or more over the years, most notably during the Vietnam War and the infamous wars on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. More recently, over 50,000 tons of U.S. military equipment have been sent to Israel and used to conduct a genocide against the Palestinian people.
The lethal force that Harris brags about has supported dictators and destroyed mass movements across continents. Force and violence have been used to expand U.S. imperialism, putting profit over the lives of people. Military force will continue to be used to maintain U.S. dominance and to coerce other peoples to do what we want, regardless of the president’s party. Presidents before Harris, Democrat and Republican alike, have taken pride in the U.S. armed forces. She would be no different.
The cost of maintaining this military force is hefty. In 2024 alone, the annual Defense Department budget was $841.4 billion. The U.S. is now spending more than the next 10 nations combined on defense. The money that the government claims to not have for social services like housing, health care and education is in fact being used to police and terrorize people worldwide.
The problem is not whether the Democrats or Republicans are the political party in charge. They both stand for a policy that spends billions on imperialism and violence. No president will bring a stop to the U.S. military force.
It is up to the majority – us, who oppose murder and genocide – to put an end to their system!
