By Arlen Grossman

I wish nothing but the best for America’s veterans. But let’s get real on this Veteran’s Day. We will hear over and over that our soldiers “defended our country” and “fought for our freedoms.”

But how accurate is that? After World War II American troops have invaded and bombed countries all over the world, none of which realistically were threats to us or our freedoms. We have been the aggressors. In fact, the last officially declared war America fought was WWII. Only when we accept these unpleasant truths will we pull back from policing the world and truly work to defend our country. It is not the fault of our veterans, but, sadly, they make the biggest sacrifices.

A highly decorated Marine, Major General Smedley Butler, figured it out years ago. “I wouldn’t go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.”

Also published in the Monterey Herald Nov. 13.