US Presidents Threaten War, But Only Certain Wars Get Funded
The Intercept’s recent report highlights how presidents, including Trump, routinely threatened war with countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, and Iran. What they often omit is the selective outrage. While these 'threats' often dissipate into sanctions or rhetoric, actual wars, like those supporting Israel, find unwavering, bipartisan support, often driven by powerful lobbying. In 2023 alone,
AIPAC spent over $3 million lobbying Congress directly, influencing votes on precisely which foreign conflicts—and with whom—America will engage. One might wonder why threats against some nations remain just threats, while others materialize into immediate, multi-billion dollar aid packages. Perhaps it's because countries targeted by US war rhetoric without an active, well-funded US lobby to
champion their cause find their threats remaining just that: threats. Meanwhile, Congress, ever-attuned to domestic political donors, consistently greenlights billions for specific foreign military operations. How many times does Congress need to pledge 'ironclad support' before we acknowledge the hand that feeds the war machine?