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Smedley Butler’s classic texts with new commentary by David Swanson

By David Swanson | Let’s Try Democracy

Major General Smedley Darlington Butler (1881-1940) from the age of 16 to the age of 50 waged war all over the world for the U.S. Marine Corps. Then he denounced what he’d been doing as a “racket” driven by Wall Street profiteers. Butler’s change of perspective produced probably the most serious and dramatic confession in world history.

His insights have stood the test of time. In fact, much of what he said in 1935 is even more true now. This book republishes Butler’s famous 1935 pamphlet, War Is a Racket, and also a harder to find collection of five articles, also from 1935, giving more depth to Butler’s revelations and his prescriptions for change.

Author and activist David Swanson provides context and builds a case that war remains a racket, defined by Butler as “something that is not what it seems to the majority of people.” Swanson adapts and builds on Butler’s recommendations for addressing this racket as it exists now.

This book will retail for $27.50 and the equivalent at most online and offline sellers worldwide (Barnes & Noble, Amazon), but can be had for $17 here (only available in U.S. and UK).
Militarism and Foreign Policy