Connections? Yes they are there and yes they are important!

Human lives are viewed by government leaders as an unlimited resource which leads to the devaluing of human life. The United States Government uses monetary benefits as well as even semi-forced enlistment (when a criminal is given the choice between jail or the armed forces) to obtain warm bodies which it inevitably spends all across the world, imposing its presumed authority on weaker nations. Often at the expense of its own. The idea that because America is a world power and should police the rest of the world to maintain overall peace is a huge burden that the United States has allowed to propagate, resulting in unnecessary loss of life. In the interest of preserving itself as well as its citizens, American adventurism should cease immediately.

New York Times journalist Michael R. Gordon reported the death of an American soldier involved in a joint operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). American military officials refused to talk about the operation that focused on freeing prisoners and capturing senior militants. However, Iraqi officials claim the “mission appeared to be a significant joint strike against… ISIS” (Gordon 1). The American killed during this mission became the first killed in action (KIA) in Iraq since 2011. Despite the missions presumed success, America lost one of its defenders in a foreign war that it has no business being involved in. 

“The images [The Battle of the Black Sea] produced of dead soldiers dragged by jeering mobs through the streets of Mogadishu are among the most horrible and disturbing in [American] history, made worse by the good intentions that prompted our intervention” (Bowden 331). In Mark Bowden’s book Black Hawk Down he pieces individual accounts of a battle between Mohamed Farrah Aidid’s men and a joint force consisting of Americas Delta Forces and Army Rangers. He provides many perspectives during this charitable intervention-turned-bad within Somalia during a famine and military takeover. The book covers just a single battle that inflicted numerous American fatalities leaving the majority of the remaining wounded as well as inflicting catastrophic Somalian casualties. The most interesting fact about this battle is that it was objectively considered a success, a pyrrhic victory, but a victory none the less. Despite its so called success American military were pulled out a few days later, allowing Somalia to resume its brutal civil war unhindered by outside forces. 

America’s greatness and success in the past has led it to believe it is invincible and should influence the rest of the world in supposedly positive ways. Often America finds itself in wars because of the notion of moral responsibility. However, is it not more important for America prioritize protection of its own citizens and military servicemen? America needs to take a step back from the world scene and focus its financial and military resources on improving society within its borders. Being prepared for war is important, but American adventurism has led America in search of conflict to distract it from its own societal flaws. The end of American adventurism would allow for significant societal advancements.  

Works Cited 

Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down. New York: Grove Press, 1999. Print

Gordon, Michael R. "American Soldier Killed Freeing Prisoners of ISIS in Iraq." New York Times       Online 22 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.