Letter: Americans need to vote for candidates who will spread peace to the world

Editor,

In this election season when Americans are paying slightly more attention to politics, let's examine the issue of empire. 

An empire is defined as, "An extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, formerly especially an emperor or empress." Many political observers have stated that since World War II, and especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the majority of the world has been under the patronage of the U.S. government and under the authority of the U.S. military. 

A basic question which many politicians seem to run away from is the following: "Should the U.S. continue this imperial system with hundreds of military bases around the world?" The answer to this question which I have personally found most convincing lies in the "Peace Amendment" that was advocated by U.S. Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler.

Smedley Butler spent more than 30 years in the Marine Corps fighting in various conflicts around the world. Eventually, he came to the uncomfortable conclusion that his efforts had been at enriching Wall Street and the one percent. In response to this newfound understanding, Smedley Butler wrote a short pamphlet entitled "War Is A Racket" in which he authored his famous "peace amendment." 

Smedley Butler's "peace amendment" called for: "The removal of the members of the land armed forces from within the continental limits of the United States and the Panama Canal Zone for any cause whatsoever is prohibited. The vessels of the United States Navy, or of the other branches of the armed service, are hereby prohibited from steaming, for any reason whatsoever except on an errand of mercy, more than five hundred miles from our coast. Aircraft of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps is hereby prohibited from flying, for any reason whatsoever, more than seven hundred and fifty miles beyond the coast of the United States." 

If only we had politicians today with the moral courage of a Smedley Butler, the world would not being staring down the abyss of a possible world war between America and other nations over the Syrian conflict. 

Since we the people still have the power of the vote, we should make it a point to only support those candidates who are willing to walk the road to peace. If the day did come when we the people were able to wean our government off the destructive habit of empire then we might be able to see the dawning of a more peaceful world. 

Let's work for this goal so long as we still live under a political system that is ostensibly democratic. The only thing we the people would lose by shutting down our global empire is a possible World War III, and that would be no loss at all.

Muhajir Romero

UNM student