AMERICA’S FOREIGN WARS
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent
Depending on your definition of “war,” the United States has been in as many as 93 wars in its 245-year history. That is the long list, including international fights over piracy, battles with Native Americans, standoffs with the early Mexican Republic, the Civil War and conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Another list, from the Congressional Research Service, takes a more narrow lens, naming 11 wars, or groups of operations, in America’s history.
As the United States and much of the world watches the withdrawal from Afghanistan, we thought it might be useful to look at where America’s longest war fits in our country’s history of foreign warfare.
Declared and undeclared foreign wars
Only Congress has the power to declare war on behalf of the United States, something it has done in five conflicts. That distinction has acted as a dividing line in terms of how America entered major wars and the general outcomes.
Here are the wars declared by Congress, all of which ended in U.S. victory, (or, as the British may argue about the War of 1812, at least a draw):
- War of 1812
- 1846 war with Mexico
- Spanish-American War
- World War I
- World War II
These are the major undeclared wars, only two of which ended in victory for the U.S. (Persian Gulf and Iraq Wars):
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- Persian Gulf War, 1991
- Afghanistan War
- Iraq War
Long and short wars
In general, America’s longer wars have been more recent and less successful. Here are the lengths, per a Washington Post calculation. (We updated their number on Afghanistan.)
The longest wars:
- Afghanistan War: 237 months
- Vietnam War: 122 months
- Iraq War: 105 months
The (relatively) shorter wars:
- World War II: 44 months
- Korean War: 27 months
- World War I: 19 months
- Spanish American War: 8 months
- Persian Gulf War: 7 months
American casualties
If looking at America’s major wars in terms of the scale of U.S. casualties, three categories emerge: wars leading to more than 100,000 deaths, those causing tens of thousands of fatalities and those, including Afghanistan, leading to fewer than 10,000 American deaths. Here are the figures, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Civil War: 364,511 deaths
WWI: 116,516 deaths
WWII: 405,399 deaths
Mexican War: 13,283 deaths
Korean War: 36,574 deaths
Vietnam: 58,220 deaths
American Revolution: 4,435 deaths
War of 1812: 2,260 deaths
Spanish-American War: 2,446 deaths
Persian Gulf War: 383 deaths
Iraq War: 2,189 deaths
Afghanistan (through April): 2,448 troops and 3,846 U.S. contractors, as calculated by the Associated Press.
Afghan casualties in the U.S-Taliban war
Finally, we think it important to look at the strife and toll of the conflict upon Afghanistan itself. According to the Associated Press, these are the Afghan casualties since the U.S.-led war with the Taliban began in 2001:
- Afghan military and police: 66,000
- Afghan civilians: 47,245
- Taliban and opposition fighters: 51,191
FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Saher Khan, @SaherMKhan
Politics Producer
Round one of child tax credit payments slashed hunger rates, U.S. data shows Aug.12. - After the start of monthly payments to families of up to $300 for kids under 5, and up to $250 for kids under 18, the number of families who reported not having enough to eat each week dropped to 8 percent, the lowest since the start of the pandemic. Why it matters: This program is set to expire in December of 2021, but this early data has activists and progressive lawmakers making the case to include an extension in the Democrats $3.5 trillion dollar reconciliation plan. -- Politico
New Texas law allowing people to carry handguns without permits stirs mix of fear, concern among law enforcement - Aug. 16. Police officers in Texas say they’re concerned about what the new law could mean for crime and threats to officers and the community. Why it matters: Conservative activists have long pushed for permitless carry laws but 59 percent of Texan voters oppose the idea., With so little support, sleading some critics to claim that the new policy was targeting “ a very, very vocal, active group” and not the majority of constituents . -- Texas Tribune
Census data sets up redistricting fight over growing suburbs -- Aug. 13. With census data in hand, Republicans and Democrats are setting their sights on how to redraw districts to their advantage, especially in the rapidly growing districts surrounding cities. Why it matters: The 2022 midterms will be the first test of this, as Republicans need just five seats to win back the House of Representatives., The GOP’s path to victory looks good thanks tosomething that can be done with the help of states like Texas and Florida, which are both poised to gain seats and both have and Republican-led legislatures in charge of drawing new congressional maps. -- Associated Press
In Rural America, Twisting Arms to Take a Covid Vaccine First Takes Trust-- Aug. 16. The Cooperative Extension System, a program from the Department of Agriculture that partners with Universities to educate local farmers and ranches, will spend the next two years talking to the community of Cairo, Illinois, about vaccines in an effort to persuade residents to get vaccinated. Why it matters: As public health officials plead with the public to get vaccinated, this long-term campaign takes a different approach: an education campaign that grounds outreach in listening and building a relationship with people on a human level, which organizers hope can overcome longseated hesitancy and build trust -- Kaiser Health Network
Something for everyone in infrastructure deal’s broadband section- Aug. 13. In the bipartisan infrastructure deal is a rare win for Republicans, Democrats and private entities alike: $65 billion towards bridging the digital divide. Why it matters: The bill’s focus on access and affordability could benefit rural and urban communities alike, who both struggle with high speed internet in different ways. -- Roll Call
#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Tess Conciatori, @tkconch
Politics producer
Three days after the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the House and Senate voted nearly unanimously to authorize military force in Afghanistan. Just one member of Congress voted against the measure.
Our question: Can you name the one ‘“no”’ vote?
Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.
Last week, we asked: In what 2018 Supreme Court ruling did today’s justices overturn the Korematsu decision?
The answer: Trump v. Hawaii.
Following a campaign promise to impose a total ban on Muslims entering the country, former President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that restricted travel to the United States for citizens of seven countries with large Muslim populations. After a lengthy legal battle, the Supreme Court ruled on ideological lines that the policy fell within the constitutional limits of a president’s national security powers. However, Chief Justice John Roberts used the majority opinion to indict the 1944 Korematsu ruling as “gravely wrong.”
Congratulations to our winners: Joanne Martin and Bob Schmid!
Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.
|
|
