David Vine is the author of Island of Shame: The Secret History of the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia. His writing has been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. Vine's work delves into anthropological and political themes, often examining the impact of military bases on local populations and environments. His analytical approach and ability to uncover hidden narratives make his writing engaging and informative.
The book sheds light on the Chagossians' forced relocation from Diego Garcia, highlighting a significant yet overlooked human rights violation. Through meticulous research, the author aims to raise awareness and provoke outrage about this disgraceful event. It seeks to inform readers about the injustices faced by the Chagossian people, encouraging a broader understanding of their plight and the need for recognition of their rights.
The book explores the global implications of American military bases, traversing locations from Italy to the Indian Ocean, and from Japan to Honduras. It delves into the various challenges and dangers these installations pose to both local populations and international relations, offering a comprehensive analysis of their impact on global politics and security. Through a wide-ranging lens, it critiques the strategic decisions behind establishing these bases and their consequences on host nations.
"The United States has been fighting wars constantly since invading Afghanistan in 2001. This nonstop warfare is far less exceptional than it might seem: the US has been at war or has invaded other countries almost every year since independence. In The United States of War, David Vine traces this pattern of bloody, near-permanent conflict from Columbus's 1494 arrival in Guantanamo Bay through the 250-year expansion of a global US empire. Drawing on historical and firsthand ethnographic research in fourteen countries and territories, The United States of War demonstrates how US leaders across generations have locked the United States in a self-perpetuating system of permanent war by constructing the world's largest-ever collection of foreign military bases-a global matrix that has made offensive interventionist wars more likely. Beyond exposing the profit-making desires, political interests, racism, and toxic masculinity underlying the country's relationship to war and empire, The United States of War shows how this history of aggressive military expansion shapes our daily lives, from today's multi-trillion-dollar wars to the pervasiveness of violence and militarism in everyday US life. The book concludes by confronting the catastrophic toll of American wars-which have left millions dead, wounded, and displaced-while offering proposals for how we can end the fighting"-- Provided by publisher
