The Founding 
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The term "Founding Fathers" refers to the political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution and helped create the United States of America.

While there is no definitive list, a group of seven men are considered to be the most prominent Founding Fathers.

George Washington: Commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and the first President of the United States.

John Adams: A key figure in the push for independence and the nation's second president.

Thomas Jefferson: The principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president.

James Madison: Known as the "Father of the Constitution" for his role in drafting the U.S. Constitution and the fourth president.

Alexander Hamilton: A leading advocate for a strong federal government, a key author of the Federalist Papers, and the first Secretary of the Treasury.

Benjamin Franklin: A person of wide ranging knowledge, a diplomat, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Treaty of Paris.

John Jay: A diplomat who helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris and was the first Chief Justice of the United States.

Many other individuals also played vital roles.Some historians include other important figures like Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and John Hancock, who were instrumental in the revolutionary cause.

The primary reasons for European colonization of North America can be summarized by three main factors, often referred to as "God, Gold, and Glory".

Religious Freedom: Many colonists, particularly in the New England area, were fleeing religious persecution. Groups like the Pilgrims and Puritans sought to escape the authority of the Church of England and establish communities where they could practice their own form of Protestantism freely. Other colonies were founded as havens for specific groups, such as Pennsylvania for Quakers and Maryland for Catholics.

Economic Opportunity: This was a powerful motivator for a large number of people. The New World was seen as a land of opportunity with vast resources. Colonists sought to acquire land, which was often scarce in Europe, or to find wealth through trade, farming, or ventures like the fur trade. Indentured servitude was a common way for poorer Europeans to pay for their passage, promising years of labor in exchange for a new life.

Political Liberty: While many colonists were subjects of the British Crown, they were drawn to the idea of more self-governance than they had in Europe. The distance from the British government allowed for a degree of political freedom and the development of local assemblies and laws. Over time, the desire for greater political autonomy would become a key factor in the push for independence.

When the first European colonists arrived in North America, they found a continent that was already home to millions of people, organized into hundreds of diverse and complex societies. The term "Native Americans," or "Indigenous peoples of the Americas," refers to the many different nations and tribes that had been living there for thousands of years, with their own distinct cultures, languages, religions, and ways of life.

The Europeans' arrival had a catastrophic impact on these populations. While some indigenous groups initially traded with and assisted the new arrivals, the relationship quickly soured. European diseases, to which the native peoples had no immunity, caused a massive population collapse, with some estimates suggesting that up to 90% of the indigenous population died in the first century and a half after contact. This was followed by land conflicts, forced removal, and the destruction of many traditional ways of life.

Many of the most prominent Founding Fathers were slave owners. While they spoke and wrote about liberty and equality, many of these men relied on the institution of slavery for their wealth and status.

George Washington: He was one of the nation's largest slave owners. At the time of his death, his Mount Vernon estate had over 300 enslaved people. In his will, he arranged to free the enslaved people he personally owned after his wife, Martha, died.

Thomas Jefferson: The author of the Declaration of Independence, which famously states that "all men are created equal," was a lifelong slave owner. He inherited and owned hundreds of enslaved people at his Monticello plantation. After his death, his estate was in so much debt that his enslaved people were sold to pay his creditors.

James Madison: Known as the "Father of the Constitution," Madison also owned a large number of enslaved people at his Montpelier estate. He never freed his slaves during his lifetime or in his will.

Benjamin Franklin: Franklin owned a small number of enslaved people early in his life but later became a vocal abolitionist. He became the president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and actively worked to end the institution.

Alexander Hamilton: While he did not own a large number of enslaved people himself, he did come from a family that participated in the slave trade and he married into a prominent slave-owning family. He was a co-founder of the New York Manumission Society, which worked to abolish slavery in New York.

John Adams: Adams was a notable exception. He was an opponent of slavery and did not own any slaves.

This paradox—the champions of liberty also holding people in bondage—has been a subject of historical debate for centuries. Historians point out that while many founders recognized slavery as a moral evil, they prioritized the political and economic stability of the new nation, which relied on the unity of both Northern and Southern states. This resulted in compromises, such as the Three-Fifths Compromise in the Constitution, which solidified and protected the institution of slavery for decades to come.

The expansion of the United States was built on the forced removal and conquest of Native American lands. Treaties were often broken, and military campaigns, such as those led by figures like Andrew Jackson, were used to seize territory. This was a continuous process throughout the 19th century, justified by concepts like "Manifest Destiny," the belief that American expansion across the continent was both justified and inevitable.

The American economy in its early years, particularly in the Southern states, was almost entirely dependent on enslaved labor. The immense wealth generated by crops like cotton, tobacco, and sugar was directly a result of the forced, unpaid labor of millions of enslaved African people. This system was not a peripheral part of the economy; it was its very foundation in the South and was a key driver of the national economy.

The "tax dodgers" reference likely alludes to the Stamp Act and other British tax policies that were a primary cause of the Revolutionary War. While the colonists protested what they saw as "taxation without representation," the protests were not against taxation itself, but against the British government imposing taxes without the consent of the colonial legislatures. This was a core grievance that fueled the revolution, as the colonists believed they should have the right to self-govern and manage their own financial affairs.

Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson is a prime example of the contradiction. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, his words on liberty and human rights are celebrated globally. However, his actions were starkly different. He was a lifelong slave owner who publicly spoke out against slavery as a moral evil but privately never freed his enslaved people, even in his will. He also engaged in a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman he owned.

Andrew Jackson
Although not a Founding Father, Andrew Jackson is a figure from that early period who is also seen as having an overly reverent legacy.  He is celebrated as a "man of the people" and a war hero, but he was also responsible for the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the Trail of Tears, the forced and deadly relocation of tens of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral lands.

Christopher Columbus
Columbus is a third figure who has been stripped of his heroic status by many historians. He is often credited with "discovering America," but his arrival led to the decimation of indigenous populations through disease and violence. The traditional narrative of him as a brave explorer has been replaced by a more critical view of him as a brutal colonizer who initiated centuries of exploitation and genocide.

The way many European explorers and colonists used religion to justify their actions is a contradiction of Christian principles.

Their interpretation of "God's will" often served to justify acts that were far from benevolent.

Forced Conversions: Indigenous peoples were often forced to abandon their own spiritual beliefs and traditions and convert to Christianity, sometimes under threat of violence.

Theft of Land: The belief that they were "God's chosen people" or were on a "divine mission" was used to justify taking land from indigenous peoples, who were often seen as "heathens" or "savages" who did not deserve to own the land they lived on.

Enslavement: The justification for slavery, particularly of African people, was often rooted in a twisted interpretation of the Bible, with some arguing that certain people were destined for servitude.

Massacres and Violence: In some instances, violence against indigenous populations was portrayed as a divinely sanctioned act to punish them for their "pagan" ways.

This selective and self-serving use of religious belief is a key part of the darker side of colonization. It allowed Europeans to maintain a sense of moral righteousness while engaging in actions that were brutal and exploitative. This is why many historians and ethicists today view the "God" part of "God, gold, and glory" not as a purely spiritual motivation, but as a political and cultural tool used to justify conquest.

The U.S. Constitution was a document of compromise that balanced the interests of various states, but it also enshrined several provisions that protected the institution of slavery and limited the rights of many people.

The Three-Fifths Compromise: This provision counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of a state's population count. While it gave Southern states more political power in Congress, it denied enslaved people any individual rights or representation.

The Fugitive Slave Clause: This required states to return runaway enslaved people to their owners, effectively making the federal government responsible for enforcing the institution of slavery.

Limited Suffrage: The Constitution did not grant the right to vote to all citizens. Suffrage was left to the states, which almost universally restricted it to white, male, property owners. This excluded the majority of the population, including people of color, women, and men without significant wealth.

The Bill of Rights: An Incomplete Promise
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to guarantee fundamental freedoms like speech, religion, and the press. However, these rights were also not universal. They were primarily intended to protect citizens from government overreach, but they were often not applied to or enforced for Black people (both enslaved and free), Native Americans, or women.

For the enslaved, none of these rights applied. They were considered property, not citizens.

Abraham Lincoln did not own slaves. He is a notable exception among the presidents of the 18th and 19th centuries. He was known for his personal moral opposition to slavery, which he expressed in writings and speeches, stating, "As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master."

Lincoln's anti-slavery stance evolved throughout his career. Initially, his primary political goal was to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories to preserve the Union. However, as the Civil War progressed, his views hardened, culminating in the Emancipation Proclamation and his support for the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery entirely.

The majority of U.S. presidents before the Civil War, including many of the most celebrated figures, were slave owners. Lincoln's significance, in this context, is not that he was the first or only president to hold a moral stance against slavery, but that he was the one who, through the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation and the push for the 13th Amendment, had the power to fundamentally change the nation's laws and begin the process of ending it.

Two other U.S. presidents who served before Lincoln did not own slaves:

John Adams (2nd President): A Founding Father, Adams was a strong opponent of slavery and never owned enslaved people. His wife, Abigail Adams, was also a vocal critic of the institution.

John Quincy Adams (6th President): The son of John Adams, he also did not own slaves and was a dedicated abolitionist after his presidency, serving in Congress and fighting for the right of free speech for those who opposed slavery.

The next major war America fought after the Revolutionary War was the War of 1812.

This war was fought against Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. It is often referred to as "the second war of independence" because it was a way for the young United States to prove its sovereignty and national identity on the world stage.

In the American West (the frontier at the time), Native American tribes were resisting American expansion. U.S. officials and many settlers believed that the British, who still had forts and influence in Canada, were supplying Native Americans with weapons and encouraging them to attack American settlements.

The United States of America was a very young nation during the War of 1812.

The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and the War of 1812 began in 1812. The country was only 36 years old when it entered its "second war of independence."

The next major war for the United States after the War of 1812 was the Mexican-American War, fought from 1846 to 1848.

This conflict stemmed from America's expansionist ambitions and a border dispute with Mexico following the U.S. annexation of Texas. The war resulted in Mexico ceding a vast amount of territory to the United States, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The United States was 70 years old when the Mexican-American War began in 1846.

The next major conflict after the Mexican-American War was the American Civil War, which began in 1861.

This was not a war against another country, but a civil war fought between the Northern states (the Union) and eleven Southern states that seceded to form the Confederacy.

The war was fought primarily over the issue of slavery. While there were other contributing factors like states' rights and economic differences, the institution of slavery was at the core of the conflict. The Southern economy and way of life were dependent on enslaved labor, while a growing abolitionist movement in the North opposed the expansion of slavery. The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who was a member of the anti-slavery Republican Party, was the final trigger that led to the Southern states seceding from the Union.

The United States was 85 years old when the American Civil War began in 1861.

The next major international conflict after the Civil War was the Spanish-American War, which was fought in 1898.

The war was brief, lasting only about four months, but it had a profound impact on the United States, marking its emergence as a global power. The main causes were:

Cuba's Struggle for Independence: Cuba was a Spanish colony, and a revolution for independence had been raging for years. Many Americans sympathized with the Cuban rebels and were horrified by the brutal Spanish crackdown on the civilian population.

Economic Interests: American businesses had significant investments in Cuba, particularly in sugar plantations, and the political instability was a threat to their interests.

The Sinking of the USS Maine: In February 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor, killing over 260 American sailors. While the cause of the explosion was unknown, American newspapers, practicing what was called "yellow journalism," blamed Spain and fanned public outrage. The rallying cry "Remember the Maine!" became a call to war.

The war resulted in a decisive American victory. Spain was forced to cede control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the U.S., and to sell the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million.

The United States of America was 122 years old when the Spanish-American War began in 1898.

The next major conflict for the United States was World War I, also known as the Great War. While the war began in Europe in 1914, the United States maintained a policy of neutrality for several years before entering the conflict in 1917.

The United States entered the war for a combination of reasons, with two main factors being the most significant:

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare: Germany, in an attempt to cut off Allied supply lines, began sinking any ship, including neutral passenger and merchant ships, in certain war zones. This led to the sinking of American ships and the deaths of U.S. civilians, which outraged the American public and government.

The Zimmermann Telegram: In January 1917, British intelligence intercepted and decoded a secret telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German ambassador in Mexico. The message proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico. If the U.S. entered the war, Germany promised to help Mexico reclaim territory it had lost to the U.S. in the Mexican-American War. This blatant threat on American security was the final straw that pushed the U.S. toward war.

Additionally, factors such as a strong economic and cultural ties to the Allied Powers (Great Britain and France) and a desire to "make the world safe for democracy" also played a role in the U.S. decision to abandon neutrality and join the war.

The United States of America was 141 years old when it entered World War I in 1917.

The next major conflict for the United States was World War II, which began in Europe in 1939. However, the United States did not officially enter the war until after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The main reasons for the U.S. entering the war were:

The Attack on Pearl Harbor: The surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was a direct and devastating act of aggression. It immediately unified a previously divided American public and led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare war on Japan the following day.

The Tripartite Pact: Germany, Italy, and Japan had formed the Axis Powers and had a mutual defense treaty. 

Economic Support for the Allies: Before entering the war, the U.S. was a major supplier of war materials and aid to the Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union) through programs like the Lend-Lease Act. This policy of providing assistance short of war was seen by the Axis powers as a hostile act.

The United States of America was 165 years old when it officially entered World War II in 1941.

After World War II, the United States was the preeminent global superpower and became involved in a series of conflicts around the world, largely driven by the Cold War and the policy of containing the spread of communism.

The Korean War (1950-1953)
Why it was fought: After World War II, Korea was divided into a Soviet-backed communist North and a U.S.-backed non-communist South. When North Korea invaded the South in 1950, the U.S. led a United Nations coalition to repel the invasion. The goal was to prevent communism from spreading throughout the Korean peninsula. The war ended in a stalemate, with a divided Korea at roughly the same border as before the conflict.

The Vietnam War (1955-1975)
Why it was fought: The U.S. involvement in Vietnam was another effort to contain communism. The U.S. supported South Vietnam against the communist government of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong, a communist insurgency in the South. The U.S. sent military advisors and eventually hundreds of thousands of combat troops to the region, fighting a long and costly war before withdrawing in 1973. The war ended with the unification of Vietnam under communist rule in 1975.

The Persian Gulf War (1990-1991)
Why it was fought: In 1990, Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invaded its oil-rich neighbor, Kuwait. The U.S. feared that this aggression could threaten the global oil supply and destabilize the Middle East. The U.S. led a large international coalition to liberate Kuwait, which was successfully accomplished with a rapid and decisive military campaign known as Operation Desert Storm.

The War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
Why it was fought: This was a direct response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The U.S., under President George W. Bush, demanded that the Taliban government in Afghanistan hand over al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was responsible for the attacks. When the Taliban refused, the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda's network and topple the Taliban regime. It became the longest war in U.S. history.

The Iraq War (2003-2011)
Why it was fought: The U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, with the primary stated reasons being to disarm Iraq of alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and to end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism. The U.S. government also cited a desire to liberate the Iraqi people and establish a democratic government. No WMDs were found, and the war and its aftermath proved to be a long and complex conflict.

The U.S. Congress has only formally declared war five times, covering a total of 11 separate instances against specific nations:

War of 1812
Mexican-American War
Spanish-American War
World War I
World War II

Here's a list of U.S. military fatalities in major conflicts, with the American Civil War being by far the deadliest:

American Civil War (1861-1865): Approximately 620,000–750,000 deaths 
World War II (1941-1945): 405,399 deaths.
World War I (1917-1918): 116,516 deaths.
Vietnam War (1955-1975): 58,220 deaths.
Korean War (1950-1953): 36,574 deaths.
American Revolutionary War (1775-1783): 25,000 deaths.
War of 1812 (1812-1815): 15,000 deaths.
Mexican-American War (1846-1848): 13,283 deaths.
Iraq War (2003-2011): 4,491 deaths.
War in Afghanistan (2001-2021): 2,461 deaths.
Spanish-American War (1898): 2,446 deaths.
Persian Gulf War (1990-1991): 383 deaths.

The United States has engaged in a significant number of interventions aimed at influencing or overthrowing foreign governments since the end of World War II. While a precise, universally agreed-upon number is difficult to determine due to the secretive nature of some operations and varying definitions of "overthrow," historical studies and declassified documents provide a general range and highlight key examples.

Cold War Era (Anti-Communism)
During the Cold War, the U.S. pursued a policy of "containment" to prevent the spread of communism, which led to numerous covert and overt actions. One study found that the U.S. engaged in 64 covert and six overt attempts at regime change during this period.

Iran (1953): The CIA helped orchestrate the overthrow of democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who had nationalized the country's oil industry, restoring the pro-U.S. Shah to power. This was officially justified as an effort to prevent "Soviet aggression."

Guatemala (1954): The CIA backed a coup that ousted the democratically elected government of President Jacobo Árbenz, which was seen as having communist sympathies due to its land reforms.

Cuba (1961): The U.S. sponsored the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist government.

Chile (1973): The U.S. provided support for the military coup that overthrew the democratically elected socialist President Salvador Allende.

Afghanistan (1979-1989): The U.S. covertly funded and armed the mujahideen, an anti-Soviet and anti-communist force, to fight against the Soviet-backed government.

Post-Cold War and "War on Terror" (Anti-Islamic Radicalism)
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. interventions shifted, often focusing on fighting terrorism and promoting stability in regions like the Middle East.

Afghanistan (2001): The U.S. invaded to depose the Taliban government, which was harboring al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the September 11 attacks.

Iraq (2003): The U.S. and a coalition of allies invaded Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime, based on the stated goals of removing alleged weapons of mass destruction and fighting terrorism.

The justifications provided by the U.S. government at the time, such as preventing communism or terrorism, were often a central part of the public narrative.

Beyond the major examples of Iran, Guatemala, and Chile were

Indonesia (1965): The U.S. provided covert support to the Indonesian military, led by General Suharto, in a coup that overthrew President Sukarno. This led to a mass anti-communist purge that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of people.

Brazil (1964): The U.S. provided covert assistance and intelligence to military leaders who overthrew the democratically elected, left-leaning President João Goulart.

Dominican Republic (1965): The U.S. sent troops to the Dominican Republic to prevent a left-wing uprising from seizing power. The intervention led to the installation of a new government and the election of a U.S.-backed candidate.

Grenada (1983): The U.S. invaded Grenada to overthrow a Marxist-Leninist government that had seized power in a coup.

Post-Cold War and "War on Terror"
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the focus of interventions shifted, though they often involved fighting groups labeled as "communist" or "radical." After the September 11 attacks, the focus became more explicitly about combating Islamic radicalism.

Libya (2011): The U.S., as part of a NATO-led coalition, participated in a military intervention that led to the overthrow and death of Moammar Gadhafi. The stated goal was to protect civilians, but it effectively led to regime change.

Syria (2010s): The U.S. has provided support to various rebel groups in the Syrian civil war, with the goal of ousting President Bashar al-Assad, a key ally of Iran and Russia.

These interventions illustrate a recurring pattern in U.S. foreign policy, often justified by ideological concerns—whether against communism or Islamic extremism—but frequently driven by a mix of strategic and economic interests.

Covert operations: The CIA and other intelligence agencies providing funding, weapons, and training to opposition groups.

Support for coups: Aiding military factions in a country that are attempting to overthrow the government.

Influencing elections: Providing financial support or other assistance to favored candidates in a foreign election.

Covert Interventions:

Albania (1949-1953): A CIA and MI6 effort to overthrow the communist regime of Enver Hoxha. The operation failed.

Syria (1956-1957): The CIA attempted to organize a coup to overthrow the government of Syria, which had developed close ties with the Soviet Union. The plot was uncovered and failed.

Congo (1960): The U.S. was involved in a plot to assassinate Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo.

British Guiana (1961-1964): The CIA worked to destabilize the government of Cheddi Jagan, a left-leaning leader, eventually leading to his defeat in an election.

Ecuador (1960-1963): The U.S. supported military coups against President José Velasco Ibarra.

Brazil (1964): The U.S. provided covert support and planning for a military coup that overthrew democratically elected President João Goulart.

Indonesia (1965-1967): The CIA backed the military's anti-communist purge that led to the overthrow of President Sukarno and the rise of General Suharto. The U.S. provided lists of suspected communists to the military.

Bolivia (1971): The U.S. provided support to the coup led by General Hugo Banzer that overthrew the left-wing government of President Juan José Torres.

Australia (1975): The U.S. is alleged to have played a role in the dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who was seen as anti-American.

Iran (1953): The CIA-backed overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh is considered an overt intervention because it involved publicly known U.S. diplomatic and political actions, even if the primary effort was covert.

Guatemala (1954): While a CIA-organized coup, it was backed by a U.S. naval blockade and the threat of military invasion, making it an overt act of intimidation.

Dominican Republic (1965): The U.S. sent over 40,000 troops to the Dominican Republic to prevent what it called a "communist takeover."

Grenada (1983): The U.S. military invaded Grenada to overthrow its Marxist-Leninist government.

Panama (1989): The U.S. invaded Panama to oust its leader, Manuel Noriega.

The success of an intervention is typically measured by whether it achieves the immediate goal of removing a targeted leader or regime.

Cold War Era Successes
During the Cold War, the U.S. was highly successful in using covert and overt actions to remove governments it deemed a threat to its interests, particularly in Latin America and the Middle East.

Iran (1953): The CIA-backed coup successfully overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and restored the pro-U.S. Shah to power. This was a clear short-term success from the U.S. perspective, securing oil interests and preventing a potential alliance with the Soviet Union.

Guatemala (1954): A CIA-organized coup successfully removed the democratically elected government of Jacobo Árbenz. A U.S.-backed military dictatorship was installed in its place.

Chile (1973): The U.S. supported a military coup that ousted the democratically elected socialist President Salvador Allende. The coup was successful, leading to the installation of a pro-U.S. military junta under Augusto Pinochet.

Indonesia (1965): The U.S. provided covert support to the military coup that overthrew President Sukarno. This intervention was highly successful in ending a leftist government and installing a fiercely anti-communist regime, though it came at the cost of a massive, bloody purge.

Panama (1989): The U.S. invasion successfully removed dictator Manuel Noriega and installed a new, democratically elected government.

Afghanistan (2001): The U.S. invasion successfully overthrew the Taliban government, which was harboring al-Qaeda. However, the subsequent nation-building effort and the eventual return of the Taliban in 2021 have led many to question the long-term success of the intervention.

Iraq (2003): The U.S.-led invasion successfully toppled Saddam Hussein's regime. However, the subsequent instability, civil war, and insurgency are widely cited as a negative long-term outcome.

The Question of "Success"
While these cases demonstrate the U.S.'s ability to achieve its immediate objective of removing a foreign government, the definition of "success" is often debated. Many argue that while the initial goal of regime change was met, the subsequent power vacuums, civil unrest, and humanitarian crises in countries like Iraq and Libya highlight the risks and unintended consequences of such interventions.

Arguments for U.S. Interventionism
Proponents of this view point to a long history of U.S. military and political interventions, especially since World War II. They argue that the U.S. frequently uses its immense power to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations, often leading to conflict. Some argue that U.S. interventions are often driven by a desire to secure access to resources (like oil) or to create favorable markets for U.S. corporations.

What's Next?

The situation with Iran is volatile. A miscalculation by either side, or a failed attempt at diplomacy, could quickly lead to a military conflict.

A full-scale war with Russia is considered a last resort for both countries. The more likely scenario is a continuation of the current proxy conflict in Ukraine and heightened geopolitical tension.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has vowed to unify it with the mainland, by force if necessary. The U.S. maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity, providing Taiwan with defensive arms but not explicitly promising to intervene militarily if China attacks. A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be the most likely trigger for a U.S.

While a direct war is not imminent, the threat of one is ever-present. North Korea's unpredictable actions and its growing military capabilities, especially its alliance with Russia, make it a constant and dangerous point of tension.

The United States of America is currently 249 years old. It is approaching its 250th anniversary, or sestercentennial, in 2026.

to be continued...