It is a sad commentary on American politics that one needs to make an anti-war case. After all, with the exceptions of genocide and democide, war is probably the worst thing that humanity does to itself. It ought to be the case that everyone supports the anti-war position. Of course, when a country is invaded, it should defend itself but that should not be used for justifying inappropriate wars.
It has been over sixty years since Eisenhower warned us about the Military Industrial Complex. Yet since then, both the Democrats and Republicans have engaged us in forever wars, including the Cold War with the Soviet Union, direct hot wars such as Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and more recently an indirect hot war with Russia using Ukraine as a proxy. While one may split hairs as to which of the two wings of the duopoly (Democrats and Republicans) is more responsible, there is plenty of blame (and shame) for both the Democrats and Republicans.
Presidential Warnings
Even before Eisenhower, George Washington issued a similar warning:
In the execution of such a plan, nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations, and passionate attachments for others, should be excluded; and that, in place of them, just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.
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Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor or caprice?
Keep in mind that Washington and Eisenhower knew what they were talking about. Both are among the top five generals in American history; and both were popular two-term presidents. Their warnings have a timeless element to them since they were issued over 160 years apart.
The Democrats and Republicans have rejected the wise counsel of Washington and Eisenhower. It is past time for those supporting peace to reject the Democrats and Republicans alike!
Strong Libertarian Support for Peace
The Libertarian Party has supported peace throughout its entire history. Ron Paul, the Libertarian POTUS candidate in 1988, is well-known for his strong support of ending the forever wars. Harry Browne (1996, 2000 Libertarian POTUS candidate) once said, “War is a government program, and you know how strongly Libertarians are opposed to government programs”. Indeed, war is one of the worst government programs. Chase Oliver (2024 Libertarian POTUS candidate) is a long-time peace activist who was first attracted to the Libertarian Party because of the strong Libertarian opposition to war.
Ending the Funding Sources
While some of the other alternative parties are good on the peace issue, the Libertarian Party is the primary party standing strong on removing the funding sources that enable the war machine to continue. In particular, the Libertarian Party wants to end the income tax and end the Federal Reserve which are the two primary funding mechanisms for the Military Industrial Complex. This combination of ending the wars AND ending the funding sources makes the Libertarian Party the premier anti-war party.
Pacifism
The Libertarian Party is not a pacifist party. The Libertarian Party recognizes that war is occasionally necessary to defend one’s homeland and it is appropriate to have a national defense that is focused on protecting the country from foreign invasion. However, there is much in common between the pacifist position and Libertarian position: ending the forever wars, bringing the troops home, ending the Military industrial Complex, downsizing the armed forces, and a healthy distrust of the rationalizations for supporting war.
Isolationism
Sometimes people who are opposed to wars are smeared with the term “isolationist”. The Libertarian Party is not isolationist. In fact, the Libertarian Party is the party most open to goods and people crossing the border in a peaceful manner. The people who call the Libertarians “isolationists” are less likely to support the peaceful interchange of goods and people and more likely to support wars. The people who call the Libertarians “isolationists” are the ones who have it exactly backwards!
Summary
The Libertarian Party is strongly anti-war and supports peaceful relationships between countries by permitting free movement of goods and people between countries.
It is time to stop supporting war. It is time to stop supporting the Democrats and Republicans alike. It is time to start supporting peace.
Vote for peace! Vote Libertarian!
Ed Wimmers is a past chair of the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County.
Commentary posts are the opinions of individual authors, and do not necessarily represent a formal position of the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County unless so noted.