tion in American foreign policy; it is a feature. This is not an ideological accusation. It is a historical record. A Global Pattern, Not Isolated Incidents Since World War II, the United States has carried out hundreds of military interventions — overt and covert — across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. These include invasions, air campaigns, proxy wars, coups, sanctions regimes, and clandestine operations. “According to a comprehensive study by Tufts University, the U.S. has engaged in nearly 400 military interventions since 1776, with the majority occurring after 1945.” The post-Cold War era did not reduce this tendency; it expanded it. From Japan and Korea to Vietnam, from Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya, from Palestine and Iran to Venezuela, the recurring reality is the same: American involvement leaves behind destabilized states, fractured societies, and civilian populations paying the highest price. The Myth of “Peace Through Force” Washington claims war is a tool of last resort. History suggests otherwise. The Vietnam War, killed an estimated two million civilians and left generations suffering from chemical exposure. The Iraq War, dismantled a state, triggered sectarian violence, and displaced millions. The Afghanistan war, the longest in U.S. history, ended not with peace but with collapse. The Libya intervention , sold as humanitarian, produced a failed state and an open slave market. These outcomes were not unforeseen. They were warned against by scholars, diplomats, even former U.S. officials and ignored. Military force repeatedly fails to deliver democracy, yet it remains the preferred option. Civilian Deaths Are Not “Collateral” They Are the Cost. Independent research from Brown University’s Costs of War project estimates: Nearly 1 million people killed directly in post-9/11 wars Over 430,000 civilian deaths Millions more dead indirectly due to destroyed healthcare systems, famine, disease, and displacement. Over 38 million people displaced worldwide. These are not enemy statistics. They are compiled by American universities and independent researchers. Yet mainstream discourse reduces these human lives to footnotes, while defense budgets rise and arms manufacturers post record profits. “War as Policy, Not Failure. Why does this continue? Because war serves interests.” •It sustains the world’s largest military-industrial complex •It reinforces geopolitical dominance •It controls resources, trade routes, and influence •It distracts from domestic inequality and political failure. “Peace does not generate quarterly returns. War does.” This is why diplomacy is often sidelined, international law selectively applied, and accountability absent. Allies repeat Washington’s language. Media amplifies official statements. Dissenting voices are labeled unpatriotic or extremist. From Palestine to Venezuela— When Palestinians die, it is called “self-defense.” When sanctions starve civilians, it is called “pressure.” When governments resist U.S. influence, it is called “authoritarianism.” From Iran to Venezuela, economic warfare and political destabilization replace open invasion, but the suffering remains real and intentional. “The narrative changes. The outcome does not.” The Silence Is the Story What no government wants to admit, no powerful country wants debated, and no corporate-owned media wants emphasized is this: The United States speaks endlessly about peace while preparing for the next war. It rarely leads global conversations on disarmament, conflict prevention, or post-war accountability. Instead, it leads arms sales, military alliances, and intervention strategies. “Peace is spoken. War is practiced.” EDITOR’S OPINION As journalists, our duty is not to comfort power but to confront it. History shows that when war becomes normalized, truth becomes its first casualty and civilians its last concern. No nation has the moral authority to lecture the world on peace while leaving mass graves across continents. True leadership is measured not by military reach, but by restraint, accountability, and respect for human life. If the world genuinely wants peace, it must first stop applauding those who profit from war no matter how eloquently they speak about democracy. SOURCES & REFERENCES •Brown University, Costs of War Project — Human and Economic Costs of Post-9/11 Wars •Tufts University, U.S. Military Interventions, 1776–2019 •United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) — Global Displacement Reports •Foreign Affairs Journal — “Why Military Force Fails” •Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) — •Global Military Expenditure Reports •Amnesty International & Human Rights Watch — Civilian Impact Reports •Congressional Research Service (CRS) — U.S. Overseas Military Operations