Tom: Smedley Butler’s classic characterization of the war system includes not only the corporate interests that profit from the planned, systematic slaughter of innocents but, as you point out, those who were the on-the-ground functionaries. Just how lucrative the retirement racket is for the participants is reflected in the fact that two of the most attractive retirement settings are San Diego and Colorado Springs, each of which is a very expensive city in which to live.

The Best of Butler Shaffer