US military-industrial establishment absolutely loves endless wars: Writer  

US President Donald Trump is escalating conflict in Afghanistan because the military-industrial establishment absolutely loves endless wars, American writer and political analyst Stephen Lendman says.

In a clear U-turn from his campaign pledges to end the now 16-year occupation of Afghanistan, Trump said Monday that his views had changed since entering the White House and that he would continue the military intervention “as long as we see determination and progress” in Afghanistan.

The position was welcomed by pro-war Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham as well as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, some of Trump’s fiercest Republican critics.

Lendman told Press TV on Tuesday that “the hawks in Washington are absolutely delighted, especially Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham.”

“The entire Washington’s – call it -- ‘military industrial establishment’ absolutely loves endless wars. Had Trump ever announced he was pulling troops out of Afghanistan, I think they’d have gone at him very very harshly,” he stated.

‘American public is tired of wars’

“The war will be sixteen years old in duration coming this October 7th -- I believe the date is -- with no end in sight for conflict. Not only is Trump continuing the war but he is escalating it. He is sending more troops over. He didn’t say exactly what he intends,” Lendman said.  

“He is keeping details quiet under his belt. He doesn’t want too much information getting out because the American public long ago got very tired of wars. They don’t really like presidents saying, ‘I’m going to war or I’m escalating the war,’” he stated.

“Well, that’s exactly what he is doing. He escalated Obama’s wars. He is now escalating in Afghanistan. After he was a candidate and before he was a candidate making very harsh promise about America’s geopolitical agenda, coming down very hard against the wars, calling them crazy…comments like that,” he said.

PressTV-US war hawks hail Trump’s Afghanistan plan

War hawks on Capitol Hill throw their weight behind President Trump’s new strategy in Afghanistan.

‘Trump escalating conflicts’

“In the Middle East, ‘making a mess in the Middle East’, I believe that was one of his quotes. A very harsh comment about Afghanistan, saying, ‘we should get out, we never should have gotten in, in the first place, and now we should get out.’ Well, he didn’t get out. He is seven months into his tenure. And now he is escalating the conflict with how many more thousands of US troops, who knows,” Lendman said.

“The reason they want to keep it quiet is because it doesn’t make good headlines when American troops come back in body bags, or they come back with disabling injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder where they simply cannot function,” he stated.

“They say nothing but rampant suicides on active duty personnel and after they leave the military, or the violence they commit because they are used to committing violence, even in war zones. They are committing violence. They are taught to commit violence. And when they come home they can’t just turn off the switch,” the analyst said.  

“This is what happens. Lives in some cases are ruined forever. But there will be more war in Afghanistan. The Syria situation is still going on. There is another big campaign in Iraq against Tel Afar, Mosul was raped. Raqqah in Syria is being raped. Civilians are being massacred. The same thing is about to happen in Tel Afar,” he said.

“I see no end to this. I’m an old man. I don’t think I’ll ever live to see the day when America would declare peace instead of waging endless wars,” Lendman concluded.

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