Table Of ContentWhythe U.S.
can't Kick
Militarism
an illustrated expose
~ Joel Andrds
Endorsements for Addicted to War:
"Addicted to War is must reading for all Amer "Addicted to War makes one point perfectly clear:
icans who are concerned with understanding We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can't
the true nature of U.S. foreign policy and how it bomb it into peace!"
affects us here at home:' -Michael Franti
-Martin Sheen Musician, Spearhead
Actor
"The enormous criminal impact of U.S. militarism
"Addicted to War is a rare gift to the American on the people of the world and the U.S. is hard to
people. It should be read by every person who grasp. This book makes it easier to understand.
cares about the human condition. This book Now we must act:'
reveals truths that all Americans need to un -Ramsey Clark*
derstand if we are ever to experience peace and Former U.S. Attorney General
justice for all the people of the earth:'
-Father Roy Bourgeois* "Addicted to War should be required reading for
Founder of School of the Americas Watch every student in America. I encourage educators
to use it to help students understand the conse
"This book analyzes why men are addicted to quences of U.S. militarism for people here and
fighting and killing-an addiction that could, in around the world:'
this the nuclear age, destroy all life on earth, cre -Rev. J. M. Lawson
ating the final epidemic of the human race:' Colleague of Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1957-68
- Helen Caldicott
Pediatrician and author of Missile Envy "Our young people will learn more about the cult
of militarism in this short and accurate book by
"Addicted to War graphically exposes the U.S. Joel Andreas than they might learn in their first
propensity to make war and should be required twelve years of schooling:'
reading in every school in the country, including -Blase Bonpane*
military schools!" Director of Office of the Americas
-Ann Wright*
Retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel who resigned "Addicted to War is the BEST primer on why the
in 2003 to oppose the Iraq war US goes to war and the devastating consequenc
es of our addiction. It should be in high schools,
''.As we're goose-stepping our way into the new colleges, churches, libraries and community cen-
millennium, Addicted to War provides us with an ters. It should be gifted to graduates and passed
opportunity to see ourselves as others see us:' on to relatives and colleagues. Why? Because
-Kris Kristofferson* there's no other book about such a profound
Singer I songwriter and depressing-topic as war that is so much
fun to read!"
"Political comics at its best. Bitterly amusing, live -Medea Benjamin
ly, and richly informative. For people of all ages Cofounder of CODEPINK and author of Drone
who want to understand the link between U.S. Warfare: Killing by Remote Control
militarism, foreign policy, and corporate greed at
home and abroad:' "Read this book!"
-Michael Parenti -Cindy Sheehan
Author of History as Mystery and To Kill a Nation Founding member of Gold Star Families for Peace
"The idiocy of war is apparent. What is amazing ''I've come to the conclusion that if we don't change
is that no matter the tracts, essays and books tell from a value system based on love of money and
ing us this through the ages, we resist that truth. power to one based on love of compassion and
Hopefully this political comic by Joel Andreas can generosity we will be extinct this century. We need
pierce the tough hide of man's mind and heart:' a brief earthquake to wake up humanity. Addicted
-Edward Asner* to War is such an earthquake:'
Actor -Patch Adams, M.D.
Founder of Gesundheit Institute, Vietnam War
"The U.S. arrogantly plunders resources and era conscientious objector
cultures to support its American Way of Life.
Addicted to War illustrates why the U.S. is neces "How can we wean ourselves from our dismal
sarily dependent upon war to feed its shameful addiction to war? This book is a fine starting
consumption patterns:' point. Reading it will help people get on the road
-S. Brian Willson* to recovery:'
Vietnam veteran, anti-war activist -Kathy Kelly
Founder of Voices in the Wilderness
"For those who have created a wall in their mind
to resist questioning what the powers-that-be "War may be the 'health of the state; as Randolph
have taught them, this book may be the right Bourne warned when a pacifist population was be
battering ram:' ing driven to World War I by hysterical propagan
-William Blum da; but it is the curse of the people-the attackers
Author of Killing Hope and Rogue State and the victims. With spare and acid clarity, these
snapshots of the real world brilliantly tell us why
"Lots of people wonder why the U.S. is always go and how we must rid ourselves of this curse, quick
ing to war one place or another around the world. ly, or else descend into barbarism and destruction:'
I tell them to read Addicted to War:' -Noam Chomsky
-Cynthia McKinney Author and Professor Emeritus, MIT
Former Congresswoman from Georgia
"Addicted to War should be assigned reading in
"This book has educated more people than the U.S. schools because it tells the true history of this
past decade's worth of the New York Times and nation's culture of war. Many young students will
done so with more humor, erudition and wisdom. think twice before considering enlistment in the
This is a book to buy in bulk and give to everyone military. How different things might have been had
you know. The tide is starting to turn:' my son had a chance to read it. However, it's not
-David Swanson too late for many thousands of young Americans:'
Author of War Is a Lie -Fernando Suarez del Solar
Father of Jesus Suarez del Solar, who died fighting
"This is the most important comic book ever in Iraq
written. To be a true patriot (in the American rev
olutionary sense) is to understand the cruelty of
U.S. foreign policy. Read this book and pass it on
to as many people as you can:'
- Woody Harrelson
Actor
*Served in the U.S. military
Fifth edition copyright 2015 by Joel Andreas. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States.
ISBN: 9781849352178 Library of Congress Number: 2014958859
Requests to reprint all or part of Addicted to War should be addressed to:
Frank Dorrel AK Press
P.O. Box 3261 674-A 23rd Street
Culver City, CA 90231-3261 Oakland, CA 94612-1163
310-838-8131 (510) 208-1700
[email protected] [email protected]
www.addictedtowar.com www.akpress.org
JOEL ANDREAS began following his parents to demonstrations against the Vietnam War while in elementary
school in Detroit. He has been a political activist ever since, working to promote racial equality and workers' rights
inside the United States and to stop U.S. military intervention abroad. After working as an automobile assembler, a
printer, and a civil engineering drafter, he completed a doctoral degree in sociology at the University of California
in Los Angeles, studying the aftermath of the 1949 Chinese Revolution. He now teaches at Johns Hopkins Uni
versity in Baltimore. Addicted to War is Joel's third illustrated expose. He wrote and drew The Incredible Rocky, an
unauthorized biography of the Rockefeller family (which sold nearly 100,000 copies) while a student at Berkeley
High School in California. He also wrote another comic book, Made with Pure Rocky Mountain Scab Labor, to
support a strike by Coors brewery workers.
Photograph and Drawing Credits
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Page 3: Artist unknown Page 4, upper: J.E. Taylor, J. Karst Page 4, lower: New York Historical Society Page
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.6: U.S. Army Signal Corps Page 7, upper: Mayol !Page 7, middle: U.S. National Archives Page 7, lower: WA.
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Rogers Page 9, upper: Karen Glynn & Eddie Becker Archive Page 9, lower: U.S. Government (Forward
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March) Page 11: Yosuke Yamahata Page 13: U.S. Department of Defense Page 14: Ngo Vinh Long collec
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tion Page 15, upper and lower: U.S. Dept. of Defense Page 20: Mary Martin Page 25, upper and lower left:
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Commission oflnquiry for the International War Crimes Tribunal Page 25, right: New York Times Page 31:
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Amir Shah, Associated Press Page 34: Muhammed Muheisen, Associated Press Page 35: U.S. Dept. of De
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fense, courtesy of Wikileaks Page 37: Noor Behram Page 53: McCormick Research Center Page 54: John
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Schreiber Page 56: Family of Tomas Young Page 62: Harvey Richards, War Resisters League Page 63, upper:
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Brian Shannon Page 63, lower: John Gray Page 65, upper: Bernard Edelman Page 65, lower: Flax Hermes
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Page 66: Steven Gross Page 67, upper: Deirdre Griswold, Int'l Action Center Page 67, lower: Bill Hackwell
To order more copies:
To order more copies of Addicted to War, contact
either Frank Dorrel or AK Press. Please ask about
bulk rates! Addicted to War is also available through
your local bookstore and online book dealers. To
receive an AK Press catalog, please write or visit
the AK Press website (above).
Addicted to War in other languages:
To order a Spanish edition of Addicted to War
in the United States, contact Frank Dorrel or
AK Press. The book has also been published in
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Fin
land, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ita
ly, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Thailand. To
find out how to obtain copies of these translated
editions, see: www.addictedtowar.com.
Introduction 1
Chapter 1
"Manifest Destiny" 3
Chapter 2
The "Cold War" 12
Chapter 3
The "New World Order" 19
Chapter4
The "War on Terrorism" 27
Chapter 5
The War Profiteers 38
Chapter6
The High Price of Militarism 45
Chapter 7
Militarism and the Media 57
Chapters
Resisting Militarism 62
The Next Chapter:
Do Something About It! 71
Reference Notes 72
Sources are listed starting on page 72 and are
referenced throughout the book with circled
numbers. All statements in "quotation marks"
are actual quotes.
Author's Preface to the 2015 Edition Publisher's Note
I wrote the first edition of Addicted to War after the I first read Addicted to War in 2000. That was the orig
first U.S. war against Iraq in 1991. Ten years later, fol inal 1991 edition. I thought it was the best book I had
lowing the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Frank Dorrel ever read, revealing the true history of U.S. militarism.
convinced me to update the book. The ink had barely I located the author/illustrator, Joel Andreas, and con
dried on the new 2002 edition when the invasion of vinced him to update the book. In 2002, I published a
Iraq compelled me to revise the book again. That edi new edition with the help of AK Press. The response
tion came out in early 2004. The decade since then has been tremendous. Since then, close to 240,000
has seen an endless binge of war-making and unfortu copies-in English and Spanish-have been distribut
nately I can't escape from updating the book again. As ed in the U.S. and Canada. We are now proud that the
we're set to publish this edition, the Obama Admin updated 2015 edition is available.
istration continues to wage wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Addicted to War is being used as a textbook by
and Syria while pioneering a new type of warfare in many high school teachers and college professors.
which the killing is done by remote control. With mil Peace organizations are selling the books at anti-war
itarized drones patrolling the world's skies, we may be rallies, teach-ins and smaller events. It is showing up
entering an era of warfare without beginning or end in churches and public libraries and more and more
and without defined battlefields. bookstores are carrying it. Individuals are ordering
I wrote Addicted to War to introduce readers to the multiple copies to give to friends, co-workers and rela
long history of U.S. foreign wars so that they might tives. I have received thousands of calls, email messag
better understand the reasons our country wages war es and letters from people telling me how much they
today. The book chronicles over two centuries of war love and appreciate this book!
fare, starting with the Indian wars. During this time, I want to thank Joel Andreas for giving us a pow
America's machinery of war has grown into a behe erful educational tool that reveals the sad and painful
moth that dominates our economy and society and truth. Thanks to Yumi Kikuchi and Gen Morita for their
extends around the globe. The costs of our country's support and for making the Japanese edition possible.
addiction to war are felt acutely at home. Soldiers and Thanks to the Veterans for Peace and to the other anti
their families are paying the heaviest price, but every war organizations listed at the back of the book for using
one is affected. Massive military spending is contribut it to help raise awareness. We are honored that some of
ing to huge government deficits and causing sharp cuts America's most courageous peace educators and activ
in domestic programs, including education, health ists have endorsed the book. Thanks to Blase Bonpane
care, housing, public transport, and environmental and KPFK 90.7 FM Radio in Los Angeles for teaching
protection. At the same time, combatting terrorism is me the truth about US foreign policy. Thanks to AK
being used as an excuse to step up police surveillance Press for co-publishing ATW with me. And thanks to
and erode our civil liberties. I hope this book will help my friends, to my family and to S. Brian Willson for
spur reflection and debate about militarism and en supporting this project from the beginning.
courage creative action to break this addiction. Finally, I want to thank you the reader for your
It's impossible to thank here all of the people who concern about the issues addressed in this book. I en
have contributed to the creation of this book. Instead, courage you to use it to help bring about a change of
I will mention only three: My mother, Carol Andreas, consciousness in this country. Please consider taking a
who introduced me to anti-war activities; my father, copy to a teacher who might use it in class. Take a copy
Carl Andreas, who first encouraged me to write the to your church, synagogue or mosque. Send one to
book; and Frank Dorrel, whose tireless promotion your congressperson, city council member, or some
made each new edition possible. one in the media. Show it to friends and family. And
also encourage them to listen to or watch Democracy
Joel Andreas, January 2015 Now, hosted by Amy Goodman. It's up to each of us to
do our part. Education is the key. We can make a dif
ference, all of us together. People around the world are
counting on us to end our country's addiction to war.
Frank Dorrel, January 2015
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